Borrowed from Late Latin Levītēs, Lēvīta, itself borrowed from Ancient Greek Λευῑ̈́της (Leuī̈́tēs). By surface analysis, Levi + -ite.
Meanings
A member of the Hebrew tribe of Levi, particularly in its role as a priestly caste.
And there was a young man out of Bethlehemjudah of the family of Judah, who was a Levite, and he sojourned there. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Judges 17:7:
(humorous, obsolete) A clergyman.
(historical) A type of loose dress.
Gainsborough shows her wearing a blue and white striped silk wrapping gown, known as a levite: a clever and subtle choice of costume, vaguely ‘oriental’ in mood, deriving its name from the theatre. 2003, Aileen Ribeiro, in Robyn Asleson, Notorious Muse, Yale UNiversity Press 2003, p. 109
A habit-maker […] is gone stark in love with Lady Ossory, on fitting her with the new dress, I think they call it a Levite, and says he never saw so glorious a figure […] . 1779, Horace Walpole, letter, 15 November
et leviit (member of the Hebrew tribe of Levi) · he לוי (member of the Hebrew tribe of Levi) · grc Λευΐτης (member of the Hebrew tribe of Levi) · fr lévite (member of the Hebrew tribe of Levi) · yue 利未人 (member of the Hebrew tribe of Levi) · chr ᎠᎵᏫ (member of the Hebrew tribe of Levi) · pt levita (member of the Hebrew tribe of Levi) · de Levitin (member of the Hebrew tribe of Levi) · sw Mlawi (member of the Hebrew tribe of Levi) · la Lēvītēs (member of the Hebrew tribe of Levi) · pl Aaronita (member of the Hebrew tribe of Levi) · pt aaronita (member of the Hebrew tribe of Levi) · ca levita (member of the Hebrew tribe of Levi) · pl lewita (member of the Hebrew tribe of Levi) · de Levit (member of the Hebrew tribe of Levi) · sv levit (member of the Hebrew tribe of Levi) · cmn 利未人 (member of the Hebrew tribe of Levi) · es levita (member of the Hebrew tribe of Levi) · la Lēvīta (member of the Hebrew tribe of Levi) · it levita (member of the Hebrew tribe of Levi)