survive

A2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /sɚˈvaɪv/ UK /səˈvaɪv/ See IPA manual

Freq #1545

Meanings

1

verb
To stay alive, especially after a dangerous or difficult situation.

Whether by a miracle or by good luck, all twenty passengers survived.
2

verb
To live through a particular dangerous event.

Only one person survived the plane crash.
3

verb
To continue to exist after a difficulty or over a long time.

The ancient temple has survived for over two thousand years.
4

verb
To live longer than another person.

She survived her husband by nearly twenty years.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to stay alive, especially... pull through

4 verb · to live longer than another... outlive

Word family

Forms survivedsurvivessurviving

Related forms convivedeviverevive survival vivid

Appears in

Phrases (3)

See all

survive an accident
to remain alive after being involved in an accident

Verb + noun
survive an attack
remain alive or undefeated after being attacked

Verb + noun
survive a shooting
to remain alive after being shot

Verb + noun

Simplified etymology

Survive entered English in the late Middle English period through Old French from Latin supervivere, based on vivere “to live.”

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman survivre, Old French survivre, from Late Latin supervivere (“to outlive”), from Latin super (“over”) + vivere (“to live”), akin to vita (“life”). See vivid. Compare devive, revive.

*gʷeyh₃- Proto-Indo-European survivre Old French supervivere la-lat super Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# survive

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /sɚˈvaɪv/
**IPA (UK):** /səˈvaɪv/
**Frequency rank:** 1545

## Meanings
1. To stay alive, especially after a dangerous or difficult situation.
2. To live through a particular dangerous event.
3. To continue to exist after a difficulty or over a long time.
4. To live longer than another person.

## Examples
- Whether by a miracle or by good luck, all twenty passengers survived.
- Only one person survived the plane crash.
- The ancient temple has survived for over two thousand years.
- She survived her husband by nearly twenty years.

## Related Forms
- convive
- devive
- revive
- survival
- vivid

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *gʷeyh₃-
- Root: survivre
- Root: supervivere
- Root: super

## Etymology
From Anglo-Norman survivre, Old French survivre, from Late Latin supervivere (“to outlive”), from Latin super (“over”) + vivere (“to live”), akin to vita (“life”). See vivid. Compare devive, revive.

## AI Etymology
Survive is from Anglo-Norman survivre, Old French survivre, from Late Latin supervivere (“to outlive”), from Latin super (“over”) + vivere (“to live”), akin to vita (“life”). See vivid. Compare devive, revive. In present-day use, it can mean to stay alive, especially after a dangerous or difficult situation, or to live through a particular dangerous event.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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