levity Hear it!

levity Definition

lev·ity (lev′i tē)

noun pl. -·ties

  1. Rare lightness of weight; buoyancy
  2. lightness or gaiety of disposition, conduct, or speech; esp., improper or unbecoming gaiety or flippancy; lack of seriousness; frivolity
  3. fickleness; instability

Etymology: OFr levité < L levitas < levis, light

levity Synonyms

levity

n.

flippancy, high spirits, giddiness; see frivolity, happiness 1.

levity Usage Examples

Preposition: into

  • proceeding: Anyway her version of ' My Favorite Things ' was another attempt to inject some levity into the proceedings.

Converse of object

  • inject: Anyway her version of ' My Favorite Things ' was another attempt to inject some levity into the proceedings.
  • need: These guys just saved my butt at a time in my life when I just needed levity, there they were.
  • have: For mere resignation has neither the gigantic levity of pleasure nor the superb intolerance of pain.

Adjective modifier

  • little: The satin underwear thing came about as the result of her trying to inject a little levity into the proceedings at the first interview.
  • such: And yet, having regard to the transcendent importance and solemnity of the questions here at issue, such levity is intolerable.
  • much: The happy audience strolled back out into the stormy night feeling much levity in comparison to the evenings heavy weather.
  • general: The allusion to the hilarity of the students and the general levity of the occasions aroused Coleridge's indignation.
levity Quotes

I came to the conclusion that some more ascetic reason than mere enjoyment should be found if one wishes to travel in peace: to do things for fun smacks of levity, immoralityalmost, in our utilitarian world. And though personally I think the world is wrong, and I know in my heart of hearts that it is a most excellent reason to do things merely because one likes the doing of them, I would advise all those who wish to see unwrinkled brows in passport offices to start out ready labelled as entomologists, anthropologists, or whatever other - ology they think suitable and propitious.

—Stark, Dame Freya Madeleine