levelling
|lev-el-ling|
/ˈlɛvəlɪŋ/
(level)
flatness or standard
Etymology
'level' originates from Old French and Medieval Latin, specifically from Medieval Latin 'libella' (a diminutive of Latin 'libra'), where 'libra' meant 'a balance' or 'scales'.
'level' changed from Medieval Latin 'libella' via Old French (e.g. 'level', 'livelle') and Middle English forms into the modern English word 'level' and its derivatives such as 'levelling'.
Initially, it referred to a 'balance' or a small level instrument, but over time it evolved into the broader sense of 'making even or flat' and 'equalizing', which is reflected in modern uses of 'level' and 'levelling'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the action or process of making something level or flat (e.g., land levelling, surface levelling).
Levelling of the construction site took two days.
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Noun 2
the reduction or elimination of differences or inequalities (an act of equalizing).
The government's levelling policies aim to reduce regional inequality.
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Verb 1
present participle or gerund of 'level': making or becoming flat, even, or horizontal; to make something the same height or smooth.
They are levelling the ground before building the new road.
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Last updated: 2025/11/02 07:30