Levity
/ˈlɛvɪti/
nounC1
Definition
Levity is the quality of being light-hearted or not serious, often used when someone makes a joke or acts cheerfully in a situation that is usually serious or important. It can help people feel less stressed but sometimes may seem inappropriate if the situation needs respect.
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See It in Action
Lightness in mood or behavior, especially in serious situations
- •His levity during the meeting helped everyone relax.
- •The speaker used levity to make the difficult topic easier to hear.
- •Sometimes, levity can be seen as inappropriate if the moment is very serious.
The act of making a situation less serious by joking or being playful
- •She added levity to the conversation with a funny story.
- •Levity can help people cope with stress by breaking tension.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "levity" like "fun," but used when things are usually serious, so it feels lighter or less heavy
- ✓Picture a serious meeting where someone suddenly tells a small joke, making people smile and feel relaxed
- ✓It's the feeling when you laugh a little during a tense moment, like a small break from worry
- ✓Sounds like "LEV-it-tee" → imagine a balloon (levitate) lifting up heavy feelings to make them lighter
- ✓Think of a clown in a hospital who brings levity by making patients laugh even when they feel sad
- ✓NOT like "serious" (deep and important), levity is the opposite—light and playful
- ✓NOT like "careless" (not caring), levity still respects the situation but adds some lightness
- ✓NOT like "fun" in a party sense, levity is about easing tension or sadness with lightness
Try Other Words
- •Lightheartedness: a cheerful and carefree attitude (Use when describing a generally happy mood)
- •Humor: the quality of being funny or amusing (Use when emphasizing jokes or laughter)
- •Playfulness: a fun and lively behavior (Use when focusing on playful actions or attitude)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "lev-" (from Latin "levis" meaning light) + suffix "-ity" (makes a noun showing quality or state)
- •Etymology: From Latin "levitas," meaning lightness or lack of seriousness
- •Historical development: Used since the 15th century to describe lightness in mood or behavior, especially to relieve seriousness
- •Modern usage: Commonly used in formal or literary language to describe a light or joking attitude in serious contexts
Reflect & Connect
•When can levity be helpful in serious situations, and when might it be inappropriate?
•How do you personally use levity to make difficult moments easier to handle?
Fill in the blanks
1.The speaker used levity to ___ the mood during the serious discussion.
2.Sometimes, levity can be seen as ___ if people expect respect and silence.
3.Adding levity often helps people feel less ___ in tense moments.
4.Levity is different from carelessness because it still shows ___ for the situation.
5.During the meeting, a moment of levity broke the ___ tension.
6.Levity often comes through jokes, stories, or ___ comments.
7.When someone uses levity, they usually want to ___ the seriousness, not ignore it.