Levirate
(Lev"i*rate) Leviratical
(Lev`i*rat"ic*al) a. [L. levir a husband's brother, brother- in-law; akin to
Gr. dah`r: cf. F. lévirat leviration.] Of, pertaining to, or in accordance with, a law of the ancient Israelites
and other tribes and races, according to which a woman, whose husband died without issue, was married
to the husband's brother.
The firstborn son of a leviratical marriage was reckoned and registered as the son of the deceased
brother.
Alford. Leviration
(Lev`i*ra"tion) n. Levirate marriage or marriages. Kitto.
Levirostres
(||Lev`i*ros"tres) n. pl. [NL., fr. L. levis light + rostrum beak.] (Zoöl.) A group of birds,
including the hornbills, kingfishers, and related forms.
Levitate
(Lev"i*tate) v. i. [L. levitas, -atis, lightness. See Levity.] To rise, or tend to rise, as if lighter
than the surrounding medium; to become buoyant; — opposed to gravitate. Sir. J. Herschel.
Levitate
(Lev"i*tate), v. t. (Spiritualism) To make buoyant; to cause to float in the air; as, to levitate a
table. [Cant]
Levitation
(Lev`i*ta"tion) n. [L. levis light in weight.]
1. Lightness; buoyancy; act of making light. Paley.
2. The act or process of making buoyant.
Levite
(Le"vite) n. [L. Levites, Gr. Leyi:`ths, fr. Heb. Levi, one of the sons of Jacob.]
1. (Bib. Hist.) One of the tribe or family of Levi; a descendant of Levi; esp., one subordinate to the priests
(who were of the same tribe) and employed in various duties connected with the tabernacle first, and
afterward the temple, such as the care of the building, bringing of wood and other necessaries for the
sacrifices, the music of the services, etc.
2. A priest; — so called in contempt or ridicule.
Levitical
(Le*vit"ic*al) a. [L. Leviticus, Gr. Leyitiko`s.]
1. Of or pertaining to a Levite or the Levites.
2. Priestly. " Levitical questions." Milton.
3. Of or pertaining to, or designating, the law contained in the book of Leviticus. Ayliffe.
Levitical degrees, degrees of relationship named in Leviticus, within which marriage is forbidden.
Levitically
(Le*vit"ic*al*ly), adv. After the manner of the Levites; in accordance with the levitical law.
Leviticus
(Le*vit"i*cus) n. [See Levitical.] The third canonical book of the Old Testament, containing
the laws and regulations relating to the priests and Levites among the Hebrews, or the body of the ceremonial
law.
Levity
(Lev"i*ty) n. [L. levitas, fr. levis light in weight; akin to levare to raise. See Lever, n.]
