Desultory vs Levity - What's the difference?

In obsolete terms the difference between desultory and levity

is that desultory is leaping, skipping or flitting about, generally in a random or unsteady manner while levity is lack of steadiness.

As an adjective desultory

is jumping, or passing, from one thing or subject to another, without order or rational connection; without logical sequence.

As a noun levity is

lightness of manner or speech, frivolity.

desultory

English

Adjective

(en adjective)

Jumping, or passing, from one thing or subject to another, without order or rational connection; without logical sequence.

* 1850 , , Chapter 25

To mend the matter, Hamlet's aunt had the family failing of indulging in soliloquy, and held forth in a desultory manner, by herself, on every topic that was introduced.

He wandered round, cleaning up in a desultory way.

I teach a class of desultory minds.

Out of course; by the way; as a digression; not connected with the subject.

I made a desultory remark while I was talking to my friend.

She made a desultory attempt at conversation.

Disappointing in performance or progress.

(obsolete) Leaping, skipping or flitting about, generally in a random or unsteady manner.

Synonyms

* (proceeding without rational order or connection) disconnected; unmethodical; aimless

Derived terms

* desultorily

References

levity

English

Noun

(en-noun)

Lightness of manner or speech, frivolity.

(obsolete) Lack of steadiness.

The state or quality of being light, buoyancy.

* F. Scott Fitzgerald

* Most of the confidences were unsought - frequently I had feigned sleep, preoccupation or a hostile levity...

* Robert Montgomery Bird:

* 1869 Mary Somerville, On Molecular and Microscopic Science 1.1.12:

Hydrogen ... rises in the air on account of its levity .

(countable) A lighthearted or frivolous act.

* '>citation

Antonyms

* (l)