Alive
/əˈlaɪv/
Definitions
2 meaningsHaving the qualities that distinguish living organisms from dead organisms; possessing life.
/əˈlaɪv/
Possessing life; living.
The bird is alive and well.
💡 Simply: Living; not dead.
More Examples
The city felt alive with energy.
How It's Used
"The patient is alive but in critical condition."
"Is the fish still alive?"
Full of energy, activity, or excitement.
/əˈlaɪv/
Active, vibrant, full of energy.
The music made the party feel alive.
💡 Simply: Energetic and exciting.
More Examples
The debate was alive with passion.
How It's Used
"The city is alive with excitement during the festival."
Idioms & expressions
bring back to life
To revive or restore something to a previous state of activity or health.
"The new manager brought the failing company back to life."
From Old English *on līfe, literally "in life". The prefix *on- is related to the preposition "on", and *līf means "life".
The word 'alive' has maintained its core meaning throughout history, primarily focusing on the state of being living or possessing life. However, the figurative usage of 'alive with excitement' has evolved and become more prevalent in modern English.
Memory tip
Think of 'life' within the word – alive means full of life.
Word Origin
"in life"