English → Latin
“alive” in Latin
vīvusalive, living; native, genuine, in the natural state; bright, lit, burning, kindledvīvōto live; to be alive, to survive; to reside inspīrōto breathe, draw breath, respire; to blow, breathe, burst forth; to breathe out, exhale, emitsalvussafe, saved, preserved, sound, unharmed, unscathed, unhurt, uninjured; well, healthy, wholesomevīvidusalive, animated; lively, vigorousvegetusenlivened, lively, animated, vigorous, active, brisk, sprightlyācersharp, sour, bitter, pungent; keen, sharp, acute, sagacious; energetic, active, vigorousalacerlively; brisk; quick; eager; active; peppy; excited; glad; happy; cheerfulalōto feed, to nourish, to nurture; to cultivate, to raise, to rear, etc. (as a child, an animal, etc.); to cause (a thing)
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
alive
vivus, vivens (opposed to mortuus; vivus denoting existence only: vivens, the manner of existence): spirans (still breathing): salvus (safe). To bum anybody alite, aliquem vivum comburere: to make alive again, a morte ad vitam revocare; ab inferis excitare; ab Orco reducem in lucem facere: to escape alive, vivum effugere; salvum, incolumem evadere: while I am alive, dum vivo: me vivo: in mea vita: to be alive, vivere, in vita esse: vitam habere: vita or hac luce frui: to find anybody alive, aliquem vivum reperire: still alive, aliquem adhuc spirantem reperire.
Figuratively, vividus: vegetus: acer: alacer, etc.
To keep anything alive (figuratively), e.g., affection, nutrire, alere: alere atque augerc (e.g., desiderium, opposed to exstinguere).
As used with superlatives; e.g., “the wisest man alive,” longe, multo, omnium -multo. The handsomest man alive, omnium hujus aetatis multo formosissimus.
As used with negatives; e.g., “no man alive :” by aetatis suae (of a past time); aetatis hujus, eorum, qui nunc or hodie sunt (of a present time).
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for alive?
- The usual Latin words for “alive” are vīvus, vīvō, spīrō; also salvus, vīvidus, vegetus. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.