Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “level-headed” come from?

level-headed (English) comes from English level, from Middle English level, from Old French livel, from Latin lībella, from Latin lībra, from Ancient Greek ζυγόν, from Proto-Hellenic dzugón, from Proto-Indo-European yugóm — to join, to yoke, to tie together.

level-headed (English): Sensible; rational; possessing sound judgment

Definitions

  1. Sensible; rational; possessing sound judgment

Ancestry of “level-headed”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishlevelThe same height at all places; parallel to a flat...
2Middle Englishlevel—
3Old Frenchlivel—
4Latinlībella—
5Latinlībra—
6Ancient Greekζυγόνyoke, for joining animals; yoke, burden; in...
7Proto-Hellenicdzugónyoke
8Proto-Indo-Europeanyugómyoke
9Proto-Indo-Europeanyewg-to join, to yoke, to tie together

Words derived from “level-headed”

  • level-headedness
  • level-headedly
Every word from Proto-Indo-European yewg- →