Élever

élever (pronounced ay-lev) is a French verb meaning "to raise," "to lift," or "to breed." It is primarily used in contexts involving the raising of animals or children, as well as in figurative situations where something is elevated or increased. The term originates from the Latin verb *elevare*, composed of *e-* meaning "up" and *levare* meaning "to lift." In modern French, the verb is invariable except for the usual verb endings: je élève, tu élèves, il élève, nous élevons, vous élevez, ils élèvent. The past participle is élevé, used with auxiliary avoir. In compound tenses it may appear as élèvée (feminine). Examples include phrases such as "J'élève des poules" (I raise chickens) and "Son auditoire élève le niveau de la discussion" (His audience raises the level of the discussion). Related terms include *élévation*, meaning act of raising, and *éleveur* (breeder). The verb is feminine when referring to raising oneself, e.g., "Je m'élève" meaning "I lift myself," but is otherwise neutral. In historical French literature, élever was often used to refer to the upbringing of children, e.g., "élever une jeune fille" (to raise a young girl). The expression is widely used across various French-speaking regions.