Etymology Map
Back to all words

Level

3 stages from Vulgar Latin to English.

Today it means having a flat surface; a position on a scale

Where does the word "level" come from? It comes from Vulgar Latin libella, passing through Old French before entering English (1300s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
libella
Vulgar Latin · ancient
"plumb line, small balance"
a diminutive of 'libra', balance, also the root of 'lb' for pound
2
Stage 2 of 3
livel
Old French · medieval
"carpenter's level"
a tool to check a surface is flat
3
Stage 3 of 3
level
English · 1300s
"a levelling tool"
'on the level', honest, dates from the 1800s
Drag to pan · scroll to zoom
Read the full story

Level’s story begins in Vulgar Latin: libella meant “plumb line, small balance.” A diminutive of 'libra', balance, also the root of 'lb' for pound. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as livel. A tool to check a surface is flat. It reached English by 1300s as level. 'on the level', honest, dates from the 1800s. Today, level means having a flat surface; a position on a scale.