vif

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See also: VIF, víf, and vîf

Bavarian

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Etymology

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From French vif, from Middle French vif, from Old French vif, from Latin vīvus (alive, living), from Proto-Italic *gʷīwos, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʷih₃wós (alive).

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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vif (comparative vifer, superlative vifstn) (chiefly Austria)

  1. vivid, bright, smart, witty

French

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Etymology

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Inherited from Middle French vif, from Old French vif, from Latin vīvus (alive, living), from Proto-Italic *gʷīwos, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʷih₃wós (alive).

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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vif (feminine vive, masculine plural vifs, feminine plural vives)

  1. (archaic except in set phrases) alive
    Synonyms: vivant, en vie
    mort ou vifdead or alive
  2. lively, brisk
  3. vivid, bright
  4. keen, sharp
  5. (words) poignant, cutting, sharp
  6. (edges) sharp, jagged
  7. (medicine) acute, intense, strong
  8. (feelings, emotions) great, deep

Usage notes

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  • In the sense “great, deep”, the adjective is placed before the noun, e.g. vif plaisir (“great pleasure”), vive tristesse (“deep sadness”). In all other senses it comes after the noun, e.g. vent vif (“keen wind”), musique vive (“lively music”).

Derived terms

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Noun

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vif m (plural vifs)

  1. (obsolete) living person
    Synonym: vivant
  2. flesh, living flesh
    avoir les nerfs à vifto be on edge (literally, “to have raw nerves”)
    piquer au vifto cut to the quick
    entrer dans le vif du sujetto get to the heart of the matter

Further reading

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German

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Etymology

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From French vif, from Middle French vif, from Old French vif, from Latin vīvus (alive, living), from Proto-Italic *gʷīwos, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʷih₃wós (alive).

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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vif (strong nominative masculine singular vifer, not comparable)

  1. (Austria, Bavaria, Switzerland, dated everywhere else) vivid, bright, smart, witty

Declension

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Further reading

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Middle French

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Etymology

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From Old French vif, from Latin vīvus (alive, living).

Adjective

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vif m (feminine singular vifve, masculine plural vifs, feminine plural vifes)

  1. alive

Norman

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Etymology

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From Old French vif, from Latin vīvus (alive, living).

Adjective

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vif m

  1. (Jersey) alive, quick

Derived terms

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Old French

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Etymology

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From Latin vīvus (alive, living).

Adjective

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vif m (oblique and nominative feminine singular vive)

  1. alive

Declension

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Descendants

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  • Middle French: vif
  • Norman: vif

Volapük

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Noun

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vif

  1. rapidity
  2. speed