Etymologically
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vivant

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 18 October 2026 at 07:47. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /vi.vɑ̃/[1]

Forms

vivant (feminine vivante, masculine plural vivants, feminine plural vivantes)[1]

Etymology

Used as an adjective and a noun, it is the present participle from French vivre (“to live”).[2][3][1][4] Vivre is from Latin vīvō (“to live”).[5] Wiktionary thinks it probably modelled on vīvēns (“living”).[1]

The noun in “de son vivant” comes from the gerund.[5][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

The noun is first found in the Life of Saint Alexis (about 1050), in a son vivant “in his lifetime”; the Chanson de Roland has ne l'amerai à trestut mun vivant, “I shall not love him as long as I live”.[6][5][7] The adjective is dated about 1150 by the Grand Robert.[3]

Semantic evolution

En son vivant is in Wace (about 1155) and du vivant de in Palsgrave (1530); the noun now survives only in these phrases.[6][4] The adjective, opposed to mort, also meant lively, full of life: of a place, un quartier bien vivant (1800), and of a language, langue vivante.[8][2] In linguistics a formation is vivante when speakers still use it productively (Darmesteter, 1877).[8] Figuratively, a livre vivant (1785) or bibliothèque vivante is a very learned person.[8][6]

Timeline

  • c. 1050 – A son vivant, Life of Saint Alexis.[6]
  • c. 1100 – A trestut mun vivant, Chanson de Roland.[5][7]
  • c. 1150 – The adjective.[3]
  • 1530 – Du vivant de, Palsgrave.[6]
  • 1785 – Livre vivant, Restif de La Bretonne.[8]
  • 1800 – Of a lively district.[8]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. alive, living: il est encore vivant, les êtres vivants, enterré vivant.[4][1]
  2. Lively, full of life: un quartier vivant, un récit vivant.[8][2]
  3. Still in use: langue vivante, une tradition vivante.[2][8]
  4. Embodied, living (image): le portrait vivant de son père, un squelette vivant.[2][4]

Noun

  1. A living person: les vivants et les morts.[4][1]
  2. De son vivant, du vivant de: in one's lifetime.[4][6]
  3. Bon vivant: a person who enjoys life (1680, Richelet).[6][4]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  3. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  5. ^ a b c d Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  7. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  8. ^ a b c d e f g Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF