WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025
lev•i•rate
(lev′ər it, -ə rāt′, lē′vər it, -və rāt′),USA pronunciation n.
lev•i•rat•ic
(lev′ə rat′ik, lē′və-),USA pronunciation lev′i•rat′i•cal, adj.
- Judaismthe custom of marriage by a man with his brother's widow, such marriage required in Biblical law if the deceased was childless. Deut. 25:5–10.
- Latin lēvir husband's brother (akin to Greek dāé̄r, Sanskrit devar, Old English tācor) + -ate3
- 1715–25;