Levant etymology

Etymology

  • From French levant ("east, rising [of the sun]"), from Italian levante ("east"), from Latin levantem, present active participle of levare ("to lift, rise").

Meaning

  • The eastern region of the Mediterranean Sea, including the countries of Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, Jordan, and Egypt.
  • In a wider sense, the countries of the Middle East, especially the Arabian Peninsula.
  • The east, especially the region where the sun rises.

Origin

The term "Levant" originated in the 16th century as a French and Italian word referring to the countries of the eastern Mediterranean, which were associated with the rising of the sun. The term was adopted into English in the late 16th century and has been used ever since to describe the region.

Levant relate terms

  • Levantine

    Etymology The word Levantine derives from the Latin Levantinus which means of the L

  • Levant

    Etymology From French levant east rising of the sun from Italian levante east

  • alleviate

    Etymology Latin alleviāre to make light ad to towards levis light M

  • alleviation

    Etymology From Late Latin alleviatio a lightening from Latin alleviāre to make

  • alto rilievo

    Etymology The word altorilievo is derived from the Italian phrase alto rilievo which

  • carnival

    Etymology and Origin of Carnival The word carnival has its roots in the Latin phrases

  • elevate

    Etymology The word elevate comes from the Latin verb elevo meaning to lift up rai

  • elevation

    Etymology Late Middle English in the sense height or altitude above sea level

  • elevator

    Etymology The word elevator is derived from the Latin word elevatus which means to

  • leaven

    Etymology Old English lēafnes from lēfan to leave Middle English leven levenen Ge

  • legerdemain

    Etymology French léger de main light of hand Latin levis light manus han

  • leprechaun

    Etymology The word leprechaun originates from the Old Irish word luchorpán which i

  • Levant

    Etymology From French levant east rising of the sun from Italian levante east

  • levator

    Etymology Latin lēvāre to raise lift up tōr suffix forming agent nouns Me

  • levee

    Etymology Levee originates from the French word levée meaning a raising or an e

  • lever

    Etymology The word lever comes from the Old French word leveur which is derived fro

  • levity

    Etymology Latin levitas lightness fickleness frivolity PIE root leghu ligh

  • levy

    Etymology The word levy derives from the Old French word lever meaning to raise

  • light

    Etymology The word light comes from the Old English word liht meaning bright or

  • lighter

    Etymology From Middle English lighter from Old English lihtre comparative of leoht

  • lung

    Etymology Origin Middle English lunge from Old French longe from Late Latin lum

  • relevance

    Etymology The word relevance originates from the Latin word relevare which means to

  • relevant

    Etymology The term relevant originates from the Latin word relevare which means to

  • releve

    Etymology From French relever meaning to raise lift up Ultimately derived from La

  • relief

    Etymology Latin relevare meaning to lighten ease lift Ancient Greek analeipsis

  • relieve

    Etymology Old French relever Latin relevare re back or again levare to lif

  • nose ring

    Etymology The term nose ring is derived from two words Nose Referring to the body

  • plane

    Etymology The word plane has its origins in the Latin word planus which means flat

  • lime

    Etymology and Origin The word lime has an intriguing etymological trail Old English

  • cedar

    Etymology The word cedar has a long and complex history with roots in several ancient

  • lemon

    Etymology The word lemon originates from the Arabic word laymūn which is derived fr

  • frank

    Etymology The name Frank originates from the Frankish word franc which means free

  • kermes

    Etymology The word kermes originates from the following sources Arabic qirmiz me

  • Morocco

    Etymology The name Morocco is derived from the Berber phrase Murakush which means

  • Valentine

    Etymology The name Valentine originates from the Latin word Valentinus which means

  • abscond

    Etymology The word abscond comes from the Latin word abscondere which means to hid