vif

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See also: VIF, víf, and vîf

Bavarian

Etymology

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”).

Pronunciation

Adjective

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

  1. vivid, bright, smart, witty

French

Etymology

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”).

Pronunciation

Adjective

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

Usage notes

  • 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”).

Derived terms

Related terms

Noun

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

Further reading

German

Etymology

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”).

Pronunciation

Adjective

vif (strong nominative masculine singular vifer, not comparable)

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

Declension

Positive forms of vif
number & gender singular plural
masculine feminine neuter
predicative er ist vif sie ist vif es ist vif sie sind vif
strong declension
(without article) 		nominative vifer vife vifes vife
genitive vifen vifer vifen vifer
dative vifem vifer vifem vifen
accusative vifen vife vifes vife
weak declension
(with definite article) 		nominative der vife die vife das vife die vifen
genitive des vifen der vifen des vifen der vifen
dative dem vifen der vifen dem vifen den vifen
accusative den vifen die vife das vife die vifen
mixed declension
(with indefinite article) 		nominative ein vifer eine vife ein vifes (keine) vifen
genitive eines vifen einer vifen eines vifen (keiner) vifen
dative einem vifen einer vifen einem vifen (keinen) vifen
accusative einen vifen eine vife ein vifes (keine) vifen
Comparative forms of vif
number & gender singular plural
masculine feminine neuter
predicative er ist vifer sie ist vifer es ist vifer sie sind vifer
strong declension
(without article) 		nominative viferer vifere viferes vifere
genitive viferen viferer viferen viferer
dative viferem viferer viferem viferen
accusative viferen vifere viferes vifere
weak declension
(with definite article) 		nominative der vifere die vifere das vifere die viferen
genitive des viferen der viferen des viferen der viferen
dative dem viferen der viferen dem viferen den viferen
accusative den viferen die vifere das vifere die viferen
mixed declension
(with indefinite article) 		nominative ein viferer eine vifere ein viferes (keine) viferen
genitive eines viferen einer viferen eines viferen (keiner) viferen
dative einem viferen einer viferen einem viferen (keinen) viferen
accusative einen viferen eine vifere ein viferes (keine) viferen
Superlative forms of vif
number & gender singular plural
masculine feminine neuter
predicative er ist am vifsten sie ist am vifsten es ist am vifsten sie sind am vifsten
strong declension
(without article) 		nominative vifster vifste vifstes vifste
genitive vifsten vifster vifsten vifster
dative vifstem vifster vifstem vifsten
accusative vifsten vifste vifstes vifste
weak declension
(with definite article) 		nominative der vifste die vifste das vifste die vifsten
genitive des vifsten der vifsten des vifsten der vifsten
dative dem vifsten der vifsten dem vifsten den vifsten
accusative den vifsten die vifste das vifste die vifsten
mixed declension
(with indefinite article) 		nominative ein vifster eine vifste ein vifstes (keine) vifsten
genitive eines vifsten einer vifsten eines vifsten (keiner) vifsten
dative einem vifsten einer vifsten einem vifsten (keinen) vifsten
accusative einen vifsten eine vifste ein vifstes (keine) vifsten

Further reading

Middle French

Etymology

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

Adjective

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

  1. alive

Norman

Etymology

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

Adjective

vif m

  1. (Jersey) alive, quick

Derived terms

Old French

Etymology

From Latin vīvus (“alive, living”).

Adjective

vif m (oblique and nominative feminine singular vive)

  1. alive

Declension

Declension of vif
Number Case Masculine Feminine Neuter
Singular Subject vis or less commonly vifs vive vif
Oblique vif vive vif
Plural Subject vif vives vif
Oblique vis or less commonly vifs vives vif

Descendants

  • Middle French: vif
  • Norman: vif

Volapük

Noun

vif

  1. rapidity
  2. speed
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