levant

verb

le·​vant lə-ˈvant How to pronounce levant (audio)
levanted; levanting; levants

intransitive verb

chiefly British
: to run away from a debt

Word History

Etymology

perhaps from Spanish levantar to break camp, ultimately from Latin levare

First Known Use

1797, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of levant was in 1797

Dictionary Entries Near levant

Cite this Entry

“Levant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/levant. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Geographical Definition

Levant

geographical name

Le·​vant lə-ˈvant How to pronounce Levant (audio)
the countries bordering on the eastern Mediterranean Sea
often thought of as extending from Greece to Egypt
Levantine
ˈle-vən-ˌtīn How to pronounce Levant (audio)
-ˌtēn
lə-ˈvan-
adjective or noun

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