vivo Italian · revision 37905

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=1294|origins=ine-pro *gʷih₃wós}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /ˈvi.vo/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''vivo''' (feminine viva, masculine plural vivi, feminine plural vive, superlative vivissimo)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|la|vīvus|t=alive, living]], related to [[m|la|vīvō|t=to live]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)^(REW 1935) The adjective is found throughout Romance: [[fr|vif]], [[oc|viu]], [[ca|viu]], [[es|vivo]], [[pt|vivo]], [[sc|biu]], [[ro|viu]] and [[dlm|vei]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(REW 1935)

+

+ The Latin adjective goes back through [[itc-pro|*gʷīwos]] to [[ine-pro|*gʷih₃wós|t=alive]], from the root [[m|ine-pro|*gʷeyh₃-|t=to live]].^(Wiktionary) Nocentini notes that the formation is inherited from Indo-European, as the matching forms in other branches show: [[sa|जीव|tr=jīvá]], [[lt|gyvas]], [[got|𐌵𐌹𐌿𐍃|tr=qius]] and, from the same root, [[grc|βίος|tr=bíos|t=life]].^(Nocentini 2010)^(Devoto 1968)^(DEI|4077)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ DELI's first record of the adjective “living, alive” is the ''Novellino'' at the end of the 13th century, and GRADIT and Nocentini date it to 1294.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Nocentini 2010) The GDLI's early quotations include Guido delle Colonne and Dante's Capaneus: “Qual io fui vivo, tal son morto” (What I was alive, such am I dead).^(GDLI|21, 953)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ From “alive” the adjective soon spread to things that seem to have life: Old Italian already spoke of ''fuoco vivo'', ''carbone vivo'', ''pietra viva'' (Boccaccio) and ''calcina viva'' (Crescenzi), and of ''acqua viva'' and ''argento vivo''.^(DEI|4077)^(Prati 1951|1059) Dante uses it for intensity (before 1321), Giovanni Villani for “active, busy” (before 1348), and Machiavelli for what recalls the movement and spontaneity of living things (1514–1520).^(DELI 1999) Varchi (before 1565) applied it to languages still in use: “Delle lingue alcune sono vive, e alcune sono non vive” (Of languages some are living and some are not).^(DELI 1999) The sense “lively” appears in Grazzini in 1550, and “strong”, of feelings, in Segneri in 1673.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ As a noun it meant a living person in Dante (1313–1319), and about 1350 the quick, the sensitive living part of the body, a sense kept in ''pungere sul vivo'' “to cut to the quick”.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003) In music ''vivo'' “lively” is recorded in 1706, and it passed into German (1728) and English (18th century), while French translated it with ''vif''.^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1294 – ''Vivo'' is first recorded.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Nocentini 2010)

+ * 1313–1319 – Dante uses ''i vivi'', “the living”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1348 – Giovanni Villani uses it for “active, busy”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * About 1350 – The noun “quick, living flesh” appears in a translation of Crescenzi.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1550 – Grazzini uses it for “lively”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1565 – Varchi speaks of living languages, ''lingue vive''.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1706 – ''Vivo'' is recorded as a musical direction.^(DIFIT)

+ * 1728 – German takes over the musical term.^(DIFIT)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|alive]], living: ''Il gatto è rimasto vivo per miracolo.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(biology)'' Having vital functions: ''tessuto vivo''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Still current or in use: ''lingua viva'', a language spoken today.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # Lasting, clear in the memory: ''Il ricordo di quella estate è ancora vivo.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # Full of life, [[m|en|lively]]; quick-witted: ''Ha uno spirito vivo e curioso.''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Of colour or light: bright, [[m|en|vivid]]: ''rosso vivo''.^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Treccani 2011)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Of feelings: strong, deep: ''Vi ringraziamo con viva gratitudine.''^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # Of a discussion: heated, animated.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(music)'' Lively, brisk, as a direction.^(DIFIT)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A living person; usually plural, ''i vivi'', the living.^(DELI 1999)^(Wiktionary)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # The living, sensitive part of something, the [[m|en|quick]]; the heart of a matter: ''entrare nel vivo'' of a discussion.^(DELI 1999)^(GRADIT 2003)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[vivezza]]

+ * [[vivamente]]

+ * [[avvivare]]

+ * [[ravvivare]]

+ * [[vivificare]]

+ * [[viviparo]]

+ * [[vivisezione]]

+ * [[semivivo]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[vivere]]

+ * [[vita]]

+ * [[vivace]]

+ * [[la|vīvus]]

+ * [[fr|vif]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Common phrases include ''vivo e vegeto'', alive and well, ''farsi vivo'', to get in touch, ''non c'era anima viva'', there was nobody, and ''dal vivo'', live, from life.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010) ''Mangiarsi vivo qualcuno'' means to tear someone to pieces, to scold or overpower them.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Treccani 2011)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}