English Explanatory Dictionary

alive

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Having life; living; not dead.
  2. In a state of action; in force or operation; existent.
  3. Busy with activity of many living beings; swarming; thronged; busy.
  4. Carrying electrical current; energized.
  5. Aware of; sensitive to.
  6. Sprightly; lively; brisk.
  7. Susceptible, sensitive; easy to impress; having keen feelings, as opposed to apathy.
  8. Out of all living creatures.
  9. Synonym of live.

Pronunciation

/əˈlaɪv/ en-us-alive.ogg LL-Q1860 (eng)-Back ache-alive.wav

Word forms

alive more alive most alive

Etymology

From Middle English alive, alife, olive, olife, on live, on life, from Old English on līfe (“alive”, literally “in life" or "in (the) body”), from on (“on, in”) + līfe, dative singular of līf (“life”). In this sense, replaced Old English cwic (whence English quick). Equivalent to a- + life. Compare Dutch in leven (“alive”, literally “in life”), German am Leben (“alive”, literally “at life" or "at living”).

Synonyms

extant vital peppy zestful above ground alive alive and well animate animated kicking lively livesome living quick still with us surviving undeceased vitalic alive and kicking existing energized hot live frisky ever in the world

Antonyms

dead

Derived words

alive and kicking alive and well alive internet theory alively aliveness born-alive catch-'em-alive-O Christ alive come alive dead-alive dead-and-alive dead or alive eat someone alive flay someone alive for land's sake alive for land's sakes alive for the land's sake alive for the land's sakes alive keepalive keep hope alive land sake alive land sakes alive land's sake alive land's sakes alive look alive man alive mercy sake's alive more dead than alive nonalive saints alive sakes alive skin someone alive snakes alive unalive working alive
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