WordGarden.iolevitation
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /lˌɛvɪtˈeɪʃən/
US
- /ˌlɛvɪˈteɪʃən/
Meanings
Noun
the rising and floating of a person or object without visible physical support, especially by supposed supernatural power
a stage illusion in which a person or object appears to float in the air
the suspension of an object in the air by magnetic, electrostatic, or other physical forces
Beyond the definition
Levitation sounds like something out of a magic trick, and often it is shown that way. But it simply means rising or floating in the air without visible support, as if gravity has stopped working. Think of a magician making an assistant float above the stage, or a person in a story hovering slightly off the ground.
It is often linked to magic, religion, or the supernatural, but the idea also appears in science. Magnetic systems and other methods can make objects stay above a surface without touching it. The word usually suggests wonder, mystery, or something that seems impossible made real.
Levitation refers to the act of rising or floating in the air, seemingly suspended against gravity without any physical support. Historically, it has been deeply connected with spiritual practices, magic, and folklore. Stories across cultures feature levitating gurus, saints, and supernatural beings—often as a demonstration of extraordinary power or enlightenment.
However, levitation is not limited to myth or stage illusion. Modern physics studies ways to produce it through real forces. Magnetic levitation, for example, uses magnetic fields to lift an object so it does not rest directly on a surface. Maglev trains are a well-known example, and acoustic levitation can use sound waves to hold tiny objects in the air.
In everyday English, the word is used mainly in a literal or imagined sense: magic tricks, fantasy scenes, religious stories, or scientific experiments. It can appear in poetic writing too, where it suggests lightness, wonder, or escape from ordinary limits, though this use is less direct.
So, whether it is a mystical feat, a technological innovation, or a poetic expression, levitation evokes the idea of overcoming physical limitations and rising above the ordinary—a captivating concept that continues to fascinate us.
Examples
- 1
Magic trick
The magician ended the show with a levitation trick.
- 2
Stage illusion
The wires were hidden well, so the audience saw only the illusion of levitation.
- 3
Mystical traditions
Stories about levitation appear in many religious and mystical traditions.
- 4
Train technology
The new train system uses magnetic levitation instead of wheels.
- Domainmagnetic levitation
using magnets to hold something above a surface
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
- floating in midair
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- perform levitation
- magnetic levitation
- levitation trick
- human levitation
Word family
Explore
- antigravity
- illusion
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- levitationnoun