Meaning

noun a substance used to produce fermentation in dough or a liquid

noun an influence that works subtly to lighten or modify something

verb cause to puff up with a leaven

originEtymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁lengʷʰ- Proto-Indo-European *-us Proto-Indo-European *h₁léngʰusder. ▲ Proto-Italic *breɣʷisinflu.? Proto-Italic *leɣʷis Latin levis Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin levō Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥ Proto-Italic *-mn̥ Latin -men Vulgar Latin *levāmender.…

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0