lĕvĭtas, ātis, f. [1. levis], lightness, as to weight.
I Lit. (rare): plumarum, Lucr. 3, 387; id. 4, 745: armorum, Caes. B. G. 5, 34: nulli fruticum levitas major, Plin. 13, 22, 42, § 123.—*
B Transf., poet., movableness, mobility : Termine, post illud levitas tibi libera non est: Qua positus fueris in statione, mane, Ov. F. 2, 673.—
II Trop.
A Light-mindedness, changeableness, fickleness, inconstancy, levity (freq. and class.): quid est inconstantiā, mobilitate, levitate turpius? Cic. Phil. 7, 3, 9: temere assentientium, id. Ac. 2 ( Luc. ), 38, 120: in populari ratione, id. Brut. 27, 103: mobilitas et levitas animi, Caes. B. G. 2, 1: ut adversas res, sic secundas immoderate ferre, levitatis est, lightness of mind , Cic. Off. 1, 26, 90: amatoriis levitatibus dediti, frivolities , id. Fin. 1, 18, 62: manet in rebus temere congestis levitas, Quint. 10, 3, 17: contemnamus igitur omnis ineptias—quod enim lenius huic levitati nomen inponam, Cic. Tusc. 1, 40, 95.—
B In partic., of speech, shallowness, superficialness (rare): opinionis, Cic. N. D. 2, 17, 45.