float

A2 Topic:Actions & Processes

Also spelled float’n

US /floʊt/ UK /fləʊt/ See IPA manual

Freq #5643

Meanings

1

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

Wood floats on water.
2

verb
To move slowly and gently through the air or water.

The balloon floated up into the sky.
3

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

The government decided to float the currency.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Word family

Forms floatedfloatingfloats

Derived forms afloatarmfloatdefloatfirefloatfloatabilityfloatablefloatantfloatboardfloatelfloaterfloatiefloatless

Appears in

Phrases (1)

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milk float
a delivery vehicle, often electric, used to bring milk to homes

Noun + noun

Idioms (1)

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whatever floats your boat
whatever pleases you or suits your preferences

Proverbs (3)

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Etymology

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.

*plew- Proto-Indo-European floten Middle English flotian Old English *flotōn Proto-West Germanic *flutōną Proto-Germanic *plewd- Proto-Indo-European

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Actions & Processes

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# float

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /floʊt/
**IPA (UK):** /fləʊt/
**Frequency rank:** 5643

## Meanings
1. To stay on the surface of a liquid instead of sinking.
2. To move slowly and gently through the air or water.
3. To allow a currency's value to change freely according to the market.

## Examples
- Wood floats on water.
- The balloon floated up into the sky.
- The government decided to float the currency.

## Derived Forms
- afloat
- armfloat
- defloat
- firefloat
- floatability
- floatable
- floatant
- floatboard
- floatel
- floater
- floatie
- floatless

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *plew-
- Root: floten
- Root: flotian
- Root: *flotōn
- Root: *flutōną
- Root: *plewd-

## Etymology
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.

## AI Etymology
Float comes 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. In current use, the main senses are “To stay on the surface of a liquid instead of sinking” and “To move slowly and gently through the air or water”.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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float

Meanings

Verb forms

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Appears in

Phrases (1)

Idioms (1)

Proverbs (3)

Etymology

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