thrive

C1 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /θɹaɪv/ See IPA manual

Freq #12495

Meanings

1

verb
To grow strong and healthy.

These plants thrive in warm, sunny conditions.
2

verb
To do well and be successful.

Her business has thrived since it opened last year.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to grow strong and healthy. flourish boom

2 verb · to do well and be successful. flourish

Word family

Forms thrivedthriventhrivesthrivingthrove

Appears in

Proverbs (1)

See all

He that by the plough would thrive, himself must either hold or drive

Etymology

From Middle English thryven, thriven, from Old Norse þrífa (“to seize, grasp, take hold, prosper”), from Proto-Germanic *þrībaną (“to seize, prosper”), from Proto-Indo-European *trep-, *terp- (“to satisfy, enjoy”). Cognate with Swedish trivas, Danish trives, Norwegian Bokmål trives.

*terp- Proto-Indo-European thryven Middle English þrífa Old Norse *þrībaną Proto-Germanic *trep- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# thrive

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /θɹaɪv/
**Frequency rank:** 12495

## Meanings
1. To grow strong and healthy.
2. To do well and be successful.

## Examples
- These plants thrive in warm, sunny conditions.
- Her business has thrived since it opened last year.

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *terp-
- Root: thryven
- Root: þrífa
- Root: *þrībaną
- Root: *trep-

## Etymology
From Middle English thryven, thriven, from Old Norse þrífa (“to seize, grasp, take hold, prosper”), from Proto-Germanic *þrībaną (“to seize, prosper”), from Proto-Indo-European *trep-, *terp- (“to satisfy, enjoy”). Cognate with Swedish trivas, Danish trives, Norwegian Bokmål trives.

## AI Etymology
Thrive comes from Middle English thryven, thriven, from Old Norse þrífa (“to seize, grasp, take hold, prosper”), from Proto-Germanic *þrībaną (“to seize, prosper”), from Proto-Indo-European *trep-, *terp- (“to satisfy, enjoy”). Cognate with Swedish trivas, Danish trives, Norwegian Bokmål trives. The historical chain includes *terp- (Proto-Indo-European), thryven (Middle English), þrífa (Old Norse), *þrībaną (Proto-Germanic), and *trep- (Proto-Indo-European). In present use it covers to grow strong and healthy and to do well and be successful.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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