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745 entries found
vive (interj.)
1590s (in vive le roi), from French, literally "long live ______!" It is the French equivalent of viva (q.v.). The opposite is à bas "down! down with!" Jocular phrase vive la différence in reference to the difference between men and women is recorded from 1963. Also in vive la bagatelle, literally "long live nonsense," denoting a carefree attitude to life.
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Vivian 
masc. proper name, from Latin Vivianus (source also of French Vivien), literally "living, alive," (see vivid). But Klein says it is "prob. a misreading of the Celtic name Ninian."
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vivid (adj.)
1630s, from French vivide and perhaps also directly from Latin vividus "spirited, animated, lively, full of life," from vivus "alive," from PIE root *gwei- "to live." Extension to colors is from 1660s. Sense of "strong, distinct" (as of memories, etc.) is from 1680s; that of "very active or intense" (as of imagination, interest, etc.) is from 1853. Related: Vividly; vividness.
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vivify (v.)
late 14c., from Old French vivifier "come alive; give life to" (12c.), from Late Latin vivificare "make alive, restore to life," from vivificus "enlivening," from Latin vivus "alive" (from PIE root *gwei- "to live") + combining form of facere "to make" (from PIE root *dhe- "to set, put"). Vivificate in same sense is recorded from early 15c.
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viviparous (adj.)

1640s, from Late Latin viviparus "bringing forth alive," from Latin vivus "alive, living" (from PIE root *gwei- "to live") + parire "bring forth, bear" (from PIE root *pere- (1) "to produce, bring forth"). See viper.

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vivisect (v.)
1852, back-formation from vivisection. Related: Vivisected; vivisecting.
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vivisection (n.)
"dissection of a living animal," 1690s, from Latin vivus "alive" (from PIE root *gwei- "to live") + ending from dissection. Related: Vivisectionist.
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vixen (n.)
Old English *fyxen (implied in adjective fyxan), fem. of fox (see fox (n.) and cognate with Middle High German vühsinne, German füchsin). Solitary English survival of the Germanic feminine suffix -en, -in (also in Old English gyden "goddess;" mynecen "nun," from munuc "monk;" wlyfen "she-wolf," etc.). The figurative sense "ill-tempered woman" is attested from 1570s. The spelling shift from -f- to -v- began late 1500s (see V).
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viz. 
1530s, abbreviation of videlicet "that is to say, to wit, namely" (mid-15c.), from Latin videlicet, contraction of videre licet "it is permissible to see," from videre "to see" (see vision) + licet "it is allowed," third person singular present indicative of licere "be allowed" (see licence). The -z- is not a letter, but originally a twirl, representing the usual Medieval Latin shorthand symbol for the ending -et. "In reading aloud usually rendered by 'namely.' " [OED]
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vizard (n.)
"mask," 1550s, altered form of vysar, viser (see visor), by influence of words in -ard. Figurative use from 1570s; common 17c. Also applied to the person with the masks, and used as a verb meaning "to conceal." Related: Vizarded; vizarding.
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