Definition of levitate
levitated
;levitating
intransitive verb
: to rise or float in or as if in the air especially in seeming defiance of gravitation
transitive verb
: to cause to levitate
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Examples of levitate in a Sentence
The woman levitated above the stage.
The magician claimed he could levitate a car.
Recent Examples of levitate from the Web
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The Massachusetts Institute of Technology grad student earned some notice last year for the ZeroN, a levitating 3-D ball that can record and replay how it is moved around by a user.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'levitate'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of levitate
levity
First Known Use: 1673
LEVITATE Defined for English Language Learners
levitate
playDefinition of levitate for English Language Learners
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: to rise or make (something) rise into the air in a way that appears to be magical
LEVITATE Defined for Kids
levitate
playDefinition of levitate for Students
levitated
;levitating
: to rise or make rise up in the air
Word Root of levitate
The Latin word levis, meaning “lightweight,” gives us the root lev. Words from the Latin levis have something to do with being light in weight. To levitate is to be so light as to rise up into the air. To elevate is to lift something up to a higher level as if it is lightweight. A lever is a bar used to help lift something up by making it feel lighter than it is.
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