Definition
To raise something, or (as *se lever*) to get up or rise — for example, getting out of bed or standing up.
Example
Elle se lève tôt chaque matin pour travailler.
Show translation
She gets up early every morning to work.
Etymology
From Old French *lever*, from Latin *levāre* ("to lighten, lift"), related to *levis* ("light in weight"). The same Latin root gives English "levitate," "lever," and "elevator."
Cultural note
The reflexive form *se lever* is the everyday phrase for getting out of bed, and it also describes the sun rising: *le soleil se lève* — a poetic image deeply embedded in French song and literature. July 21st is also Belgian National Day, and France's own Bastille Day (July 14th) was just last week — a time when crowds *se lèvent* in celebration across the Francophone world.