levare

Levare is a verb of Latin origin meaning to lift, raise, or remove. The term comes from the Latin verb levāre, formed from the stem lev- and used in Classical Latin with senses ranging from lifting physical objects to removing burdens or obligations.

In Romance languages, levare has given rise to descendant forms. In Italian, levare retains the core meanings of lifting or removing and is used across a range of contexts, from lifting a weight (levare un peso) to taking away or discarding items, and even in figurative expressions. In nautical or historical contexts, Italian employs levare in phrases such as levare l’ancora (to weigh anchor), with maritime usage sometimes extending to other lifting or preparing actions for sailing in older or literary texts.

In Latin literature and medieval Latin, levāre appears in literal senses—raising or lifting something—and in figurative ones, such as removing a burden or obligation or bringing about a change. The verb also contributed to the vocabulary of several Romance languages and influenced related English terms through French and Latin routes, giving rise to words connected with lifting or elevation, such as elevate and levy.

Overall, levare occupies a foundational role in the family of verbs surrounding lifting and removal, with its most common contemporary presence in Italian and its historical significance in Latin and Romance-language development.