vif

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”).

• IPA^(key): /vif/

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

1. vivid, bright, smart, witty

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”).

• IPA^(key): /vif/

• audio

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• Audio (Paris)

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• Homophone: vifs

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

1. (archaic except in set phrases) alive

   Synonyms: vivant, en vie

   mort ou vif ― dead 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

• 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”).

• vivre

vif m (plural vifs)

1. (obsolete) living person

   Synonym: vivant

2. flesh, living flesh

   avoir les nerfs à vif ― to be on edge (literally, “to have raw nerves”)

   piquer au vif ― to cut to the quick

   entrer dans le vif du sujet ― to get to the heart of the matter

• “vif”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

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”).

• IPA^(key): /viːf/

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -iːf

vif (strong nominative masculine singular vifer, not comparable)

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

• “vif” in Duden online
• “vif” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
• “vif” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “vif” in Deutsches Wörterbuch von Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm, 16 vols., Leipzig 1854–1961.

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

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

1. alive

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

vif m

1. (Jersey) alive, quick

• vivement

From Latin vīvus (“alive, living”).

vif m (oblique and nominative feminine singular vive)

1. alive

• Middle French: vif
  • French: vif
• Norman: vif

vif

1. rapidity
2. speed