English Explanatory Dictionary

rife

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Widespread, common, prevalent, current (mainly of unpleasant or harmful things).
  2. Abounding; present in large numbers, plentiful.
  3. Full of (mostly unpleasant or harmful things).
  4. Having power; active; nimble.
adv
  1. Plentifully, abundantly.

Pronunciation

/ɹaɪf/ en-us-rife.ogg en-au-rife.ogg

Word forms

rife rifer rifest more rife most rife

Etymology

From Middle English rife, from Old English rīfe, rȳfe (“rife, abundant, frequent”), from Proto-West Germanic *rīb, from Proto-Germanic *rībaz (“generous”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁reyp- (“to tear (off), rip”). Cognate with West Frisian rju (“rife, much”), Dutch rijf (“abundant, copious”), Low German rive (“abundant, munificent”), Icelandic rífur (“rife, munificent”), Faroese ríviligur (“plentiful, abundant”), Faroese rívan (“abundantly”), Icelandic reifa (“to bestow”).

Synonyms

ubiquitous pandemic filled fraught

Derived words

overrife rifely rifeness unrife
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