Etymologically
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vivax

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 15:51. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈwiː.waːks][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈviː.vaks][1]

Forms

vīvāx (genitive vīvācis, adverb vīvāciter); third-declension one-termination adjective[1]

Etymology

It is from vīvō “to live” with the suffix -āx “inclined to”.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan's first source is Afranius, whom Köbler dates to the second half of the 2nd century BC, and the OLD's earliest citation is from him, “long-lived”.[3][4][2]

Semantic evolution

It meant tenacious of life, long-lived, as in Afranius, and Ovid uses it of the phoenix and of an old woman.[2][5] In Ovid it also meant life-giving, and in Gellius vigorous, energetic.[2]

British Medieval Latin used it for tenacious of life, long-lived.[6] It survives in Italian vivace and Spanish vivaz, and gave English vivacious in the 1650s, first “long-lived”, then “lively”.[1][7]

Timeline

  • 2nd half of 2nd century BC – Afranius uses it.[3][2][4]
  • 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid uses it of the phoenix.[5][4]
  • c. 165 AD – Gellius uses it of energetic people.[2][4]
  • 1650s – English vivacious is recorded.[7]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Tenacious of life, long-lived.[2]
  2. Life-giving.[2]
  3. Vigorous, lively, vivacious.[2]

Word family

  • longivīvāx
  • vīvācitās
  • vīvāciter

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
  7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com