Wordwyrt

leaven

/ˈlevən/LEH-vuhn
/ˈlɛvən/LEH-vuhn

Meaningto raise

Common meaning: yeast

Other meanings: something that lightens

Journey through time

  1. Latinlevare‘to raise’source
  2. Latinmeaning shiftsto raise → that which raiseslevamen‘that which raises’source
  3. Frenchlevainsource
  4. Middle Englishlevainsource
  5. Englishleaven‘yeast’ · today

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Latin levare ‘to raise’.

Roots

Building blocks are an automatic split · open in app