1650s, "act of carrying out or away," from Late Latin evectionem (nominative evectio) "a carrying upward, a flight," from Latin evehere, from assimilated form of ex "out of, from within" (see ex-) + vehere "to carry" (from PIE root *wegh- "to go, move, transport in a vehicle"). Astronomy sense, "second lunar inequality," is from 1706.