levity

Advancedzipf 2.60

Pronunciation

/ˈlɛvɪti/(LEV-ih-tee)

Part of speech

nounformal

Chinese

轻率；轻浮；不严肃

Definition

Humor or lack of seriousness, especially when it is not appropriate.

Word family

  • (no major derivatives)

Collocations

  • moment of levity
  • inappropriate levity
  • bring some levity
  • comic levity

Examples

  1. 1.His joke brought a moment of levity to the tense meeting. (lightheartedness)
  2. 2.The judge warned the courtroom against inappropriate levity. (lack of seriousness)

Synonyms

  • lightheartedness/ˈlaɪthɑːtɪdnəs/— cheerful lack of seriousness
  • humor/ˈhjuːmə/— general amusement
  • frivolity/frɪˈvɒləti/— lack of proper seriousness

Etymology

from Latin "levitas" = lightness — "levis" = light — the opposite of gravity (seriousness)