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Origin and history of levator

levator(n.)

1610s in anatomy, "type of muscle that raises or elevates," from medical Latin levator (plural levatores) "a lifter," from Latin levatus, past participle of levare "to raise, lift up; make lighter" (from PIE root *legwh- "not heavy, having little weight"). Opposed to depressor.

also from 1610s

Entries linking to levator

*legwh-

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "not heavy, having little weight."

It might form all or part of: alleviate; alleviation; alto-rilievo; carnival; elevate; elevation; elevator; leaven; legerdemain; leprechaun; Levant; levator; levee; lever; levity; levy (v.) "to raise or collect;" light (adj.1) "not heavy, having little weight;" lighter (n.1) "type of barge used in unloading;" lung; relevance; relevant; releve; relief; relieve.

It might also be the source of: Sanskrit laghuh "quick, small;" Greek elakhys "small," elaphros "light;" Latin levare "to raise," levis "light in weight, not heavy;" Old Church Slavonic liguku, Russian lëgkij, Polish lekki, Lithuanian lengvas "light in weight;" Old Irish lu "small," laigiu "smaller, worse;" Gothic leihts, Old English leoht "not heavy, light in weight."

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    excruciate
    "to torture, torment, inflict very severe pain on," as if by crucifying, 1560s, from Latin excruciatus, past participle of excruciare "to torture, torment, rack, plague;" figuratively "to afflict, harass, vex, torment," from ex "out, out from; thoroughly" (see ex-) + cruciare "ca
    altruism
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    scorn
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