float

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To stay on the surface of a liquid instead of sinking.

   Wood floats on water.

2. 2
   verb

   To move slowly and gently through the air or water.

   The balloon floated up into the sky.

3. 3
   verb

   To allow a currency's value to change freely according to the market.

   The government decided to float the currency.

From Middle English floten, from Old English flotian (“to float”), from Proto-West Germanic *flotōn, from Proto-Germanic *flutōną (“to float”), from Proto-Indo-European *plewd-, *plew- (“to float, swim, fly”). Compare flow, fleet.

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