The term Levant appears in English in 1497, and originally meant 'the East' or 'Mediterranean lands east of Italy'. It is borrowed from the French 'rising', referring to the rising of the sun in the east, or the point where the sun rises.Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd edition The phrase is ultimately from the Latin word , meaning 'lift, raise'. Similar etymologies are found in Greek Anatolē (cf. Anatolia 'the direction of sunrise'), in Germanic Morgenland (), in Italian (as in Riviera di Levante, the portion of the Liguria coast east of Genoa), in Hungarian Kelet ('east'), in Spanish and Catalan Levante and Llevant, ('the place of rising'), and in Hebrew mizraḥ ('east'). Most notably, "Orient" and its Latin source oriens meaning 'east', is literally "rising", deriving from Latin orior 'rise'.
the tERm levaNt APpeaRs in enGlish in 1497, and orIgiNAlLy meant 'tHe east' or 'MeDitErranean LANDs eaSt of iTAly'. it iS borrOWEd fRoM the fRench 'RISing', refeRrinG to thE rISing OF THe Sun in tHe eaSt, or THe poinT WheRE thE SUn rises.oxford EnGLIsh DictionaRY, 2nD editiOn thE phraSE is ulTimATELy From the LATin woRd , meANiNg 'lIfT, raise'. SimiLAr eTymOlogies aRe founD in greEk anatOlē (CF. anaToliA 'the dIrEcTioN Of sunriSe'), IN germanIC mOrgEnlAnD (), in italIaN (as iN rIViERa dI LeVante, tHe PORTion of the liguria CoAST EaSt OF gEnoA), in hungariAn keLet ('eAst'), in spaNisH and cAtaLAn levante And llEvant, ('The PLaCE Of RisInG'), anD iN hEbrew MizRaḥ ('EAst'). MOsT notably, "orIeNt" and ITS latiN SoUrCe ORiens mEAning 'East', is liteRaLly "risInG", deRiving from latIN orIOr 'risE'.