noun
levity
LEH-vih-tee
noun
1
A lighthearted, joking attitude, especially when a situation calls for seriousness.
"The judge warned the lawyer against levity in the courtroom."
"A bit of levity helped ease the tension in the meeting."
How to Use Levity
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTreating something as a joke, or bringing lightness and humor into a serious moment.
Common mistake
Not the same as "levy" (a tax) or "levitate" (to float) — all three share the same "levis/light" root but mean very different things.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
a moment of levity
inappropriate levity
add some levity
Word Forms
levities plural
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Etymology
Coined in the 1500s from Latin levitas ("lightness"), from levis ("light in weight") — related to "lever" and, more distantly, "light."