Levity \Lev"i*ty\ (l[e^]v"[i^]*t[y^]), n. [L. levitas, fr. levis
light in weight; akin to levare to raise. See Lever, n.]
1. The quality of weighing less than something else of equal
bulk; relative lightness, especially as shown by rising
through, or floating upon, a contiguous substance;
buoyancy; -- opposed to gravity.
[1913 Webster]
He gave the form of levity to that which ascended;
to that which descended, the form of gravity. --Sir.
W. Raleigh.
[1913 Webster]
This bubble by reason of its comparative levity to
the fluidity that incloses it, would ascend to the
top. --Bentley.
[1913 Webster]
2. Lack of gravity and earnestness in deportment or
character; trifling gayety; frivolity; sportiveness;
vanity. " A spirit of levity and libertinism."
--Atterbury.
[1913 Webster]
He never employed his omnipotence out of levity.
--Calamy.
[1913 Webster]
3. Lack of steadiness or constancy; disposition to change;
fickleness; volatility.
[1913 Webster]
The levity that is fatigued and disgusted with
everything of which it is in possession. --Burke.
Syn: Inconstancy; thoughtlessness; unsteadiness;
inconsideration; volatility; flightiness.
Usage: Levity, Volatility, Flightiness. All these words
relate to outward conduct. Levity springs from a
lightness of mind which produces a disregard of the
proprieties of time and place.Volatility is a degree
of levity which causes the thoughts to fly from one
object to another, without resting on any for a
moment. Flightiness is volatility carried to an
extreme which often betrays its subject into gross
impropriety or weakness. Levity of deportment, of
conduct, of remark; volatility of temper, of spirits;
flightiness of mind or disposition.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
levity
n 1: feeling an inappropriate lack of seriousness [ant: gravity]
2: lightness of manner
WordNet (r) 2.0
165 Moby Thesaurus words for "levity":
absentmindedness, absurdity, airiness, amusement, ascent, banter,
big deal, booing, bounce, breeziness, bubbliness, buoyancy,
carefreeness, carelessness, catcalling, chaffing, changeableness,
chirpiness, coquettishness, daintiness, debonairness, delicacy,
derision, disregard, disregardfulness, distraction, downiness,
emptiness, ethereality, facetiousness, faddishness, faddism,
fickleness, fleering, flightiness, flimsiness, flippancy,
floatability, fluffiness, foaminess, folly, fooling, foolishness,
frivolity, frivolousness, frothiness, fun, futility, gentleness,
giddiness, glee, gleefulness, gossameriness, grinning,
heedlessness, high glee, hilariousness, hilarity, hissing, hooting,
idleness, inadvertence, inadvertency, inanity, inattention,
inattentiveness, inconsideration, inconstancy, incuriosity,
indifference, inobservance, jauntiness, jeering, jocularity,
jocundity, jolliness, jollity, joshing, joviality, joy, joyfulness,
joyousness, lack of weight, laughter, leering, levitation,
light heart, lightheartedness, lightmindedness, lightness,
lightsomeness, mercuriality, mercurialness, merriment, merriness,
mirth, mirthfulness, mockery, negligence, nonobservance, nugacity,
obliviousness, panning, perkiness, pertness, playfulness,
prankishness, pranksomeness, ragging, raillery, rallying, razzing,
regardlessness, resilience, ridicule, roasting, roguishness,
scoffing, shallowness, silliness, skittishness, slenderness,
slightness, smart-aleckiness, smartness, smirking, sneering,
snickering, sniggering, snorting, softness, sportiveness,
superficiality, taunting, tenderness, thoughtlessness, trickery,
trickiness, triflingness, triteness, triviality, trivialization,
trivialness, twitting, unalertness, unawareness, unconsciousness,
undependability, unheaviness, unheedfulness, unintentiveness,
unmindfulness, unobservance, unpredictability, unreliability,
unwariness, unwatchfulness, vacuity, vanity, vapidity, volatility,
waggery, waggishness, weightlessness, yeastiness
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
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