"level" in seven languages
Meaninglevel
Spanish
/niˈbel/
masc.borrowed · Catalan nivell (from Occitan)
French
/nivo/
masc.inherited
plural: niveaux
Old French livel became nivel by dissimilation (l…l → n…l).
Italian
/liˈvɛllo/
masc.inherited
Portuguese
/ˈnivew/
masc.borrowed · Occitan or Catalan nivel(l), probably via Spanish nivel
Romanian
/niˈvel/
neut.borrowed · a Western Romance loan (French niveau; the shape matches Spanish nivel)
Catalan
/niˈbeʎ/
masc.borrowed · Occitan nivel
English
/ˈlɛvəl/
from Latin/French · Old French livel
The Latin ancestor
*LĪBELLUM (Classical LĪBELLA)‘carpenter's level (diminutive of LĪBRA 'scales')’
All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.
The story
English kept the Old French l-form; French itself swapped the first l for n, and Spanish took that n-form through Catalan. French -eau comes from -ELLUM, its l vocalized.
English relatives: equilibrium, librate
Sound laws at work
Learn it
In a sentence
- esEl nivel del agua está subiendo.
- frLe niveau de l'eau monte.
- itIl livello dell'acqua sta salendo.
- ptO nível da água está subindo.
- roNivelul apei crește.
- caEl nivell de l'aigua està pujant.
- enThe water level is rising.