levitate

/ˈlɛvɪteɪt/

//ˈlɛvɪteɪt// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"levitate" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“levitate” is uncommon English (frequency #51,821 among 16,425 “L” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#51,821
frequency rank, English
16,425
“L” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To cause to rise in the air and float, as if in defiance of gravity.

Key facts for levitate
PropertyValue
Headwordlevitate
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˈlɛvɪteɪt/
Letters8
Frequency rank#51,821
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “levitate” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). levitate lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

levitate is uncommon English at frequency #51,821 among 16,425 “L” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ˈlɛvɪteɪt/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for levitate, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.

Etymologically, the entry records: First attested in 1673; borrowed from New Latin levitātus, perfect passive participle of levitō (“to levitate; to have one's motion directed upward, as opposed to the downward motion induced by gravity”) (first attested c. 1670), modeled on gravitō (“to gra… The correct English form is levitate, spelled L-E-V-I-T-A-T-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To cause to rise in the air and float, as if in defiance of gravity.
  2. 2
    To be suspended in the air, as if in defiance of gravity.

Etymology

First attested in 1673; borrowed from New Latin levitātus, perfect passive participle of levitō (“to levitate; to have one's motion directed upward, as opposed to the downward motion induced by gravity”) (first attested c. 1670), modeled on gravitō (“to gravitate”) (← Latin gravis (“heavy”)), from levis (“light”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix).

This word in other languages

levitar(Español)levitieren(Deutsch)levitar(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "levitate"?
"levitate" is spelled L-E-V-I-T-A-T-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈlɛvɪteɪt/.
What does "levitate" mean?
As a verb, "levitate" means: To cause to rise in the air and float, as if in defiance of gravity.
How do you pronounce "levitate"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "levitate" is /ˈlɛvɪteɪt/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "levitate"?
First attested in 1673; borrowed from New Latin levitātus, perfect passive participle of levitō (“to levitate; to have one's motion directed upward, as opposed to the downward motion induced by gravity”) (first attested c. 1670), modeled on gravit... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “levitate”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is L-E-V-I-T-A-T-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈlɛvɪteɪt/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list