“Elevate” is a verb that means to lift up or make higher, both in a literal and a figurative sense. It can also mean to raise to a more important or impressive level, such as elevating someone’s status.
Etymologically, “elevate” comes from the Latin word “elevatus,” which is the past participle of “elevare.” This Latin term breaks down into “e-” (a variant of “ex-” meaning “out of, from”) and “levare” (“to lighten, raise”), which itself comes from “levis,” meaning “light” in weight. This root is reflected in the sense of lifting or raising something up. The word made its way into English in the late 15th century.
In summary, “elevate” combines the notions of lifting, raising, and making something lighter or more prominent, and has been used in English since the late 1400s.