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Added 9 October 2026

elevate

/ˈɛləveɪt/ verb

In Latin: levo, elevo, extollō Wiktionary

verb Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about elevate at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Give a promotion to or assign to a higher position.
John was kicked upstairs when a replacement was hired
Raise from a lower to a higher position.
Raise your hands
Raise in rank or condition.
The new law lifted many people from poverty

Origin

From Middle English elevaten (“to raise up, erect; to elate, inflate (e.g. with pride); (alchemy) to vaporize; (of a bone, excressence, blood vessel) to protrude”), from elevat(e) (“(in physical elevation, in rank, in altitude above the horizon) high”, also used as the past participle of elevaten) + -en (verb-forming suffix), further from Latin ēlevātus, the perfect passive participle of ēlevō (“to raise, lift up”), from ē- (“out”) + levō (“to make light, to lift”), from levis (“light”) + -ō (verb-forming suffix); see levity and lever.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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