viva-, vivi-, vivo-, viv-

(Latin: life, alive)

Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.
—Soren Kierkegaard
survivor
1. Someone who outlives another person or other people.
2. Anyone who lives through afflictions or dangers.
3. Someone who remains alive despite being exposed to a life-threatening danger.
4. A person with great powers of endurance; such as, somebody who shows a great will to live or a great determination to overcome difficulties and to carry on.
5. In law, the one of two or more people having joint interests in property who lives longer than the other, or others, and is, therefore, entitled to the entire property.
survivorship
The right of a joint tenant, or other person, who has a joint interest in an estate, to take the whole estate upon the death of the other one.

Survivorship is particularly applied to those owning real property or other assets; such as, bank accounts or stocks, in "joint tenancy".

Joint tenancy includes the right of survivorship automatically; except that in some states in the United States, joint tenancy of a bank account creates only a presumption of survivorship which might be legally disproved by evidence that the joint tenancy was only for convenience.

Tacitum vivit sub pectore vulnus.
A wound unuttered lives deep within the breast.

Virgil gave this perspective that it is better not to suffer personal attacks in silence.

viability (s) (noun), viabilities (pl)
1. The ability to live; capable of normal growth and development: After the mother cat had her six kittens, Jane wondered about the viability of the last and tiniest one.
2. The quality of having a practical and plausible chance of success: The viability of Susan inviting all of her 15 friends to her birthday party depended on her parents allowing her to ask them.
3. The capacity of working well and favorably: The viability of the shop to survive depended on the number of people buying the items offered, keeping on top of the operating costs of the shop and personnel, and not making any debts.
viable (adjective), more viable, most viable
1. Capable of life: A viable premature baby is one who is able to survive outside the womb.
2. Able to maintain an independent existence or able to live and develop: The viable seedlings were sown in the garden and were soon growing into big zucchini plants.
3. Eligible of success, or continuing effectiveness; practicable: The bank said that the plan for starting John's business was viable and could be carried out successfully.

Viable was originally restricted to the senses of "able to grow" and "able to survive", as in a viable fetus.

Its extended sense of "able to be done" or "worth doing", as in "viable alternatives", is now well established and acceptable in the English language.

viand (s) (noun), viands (pl)
1. A collection of food; especially, some that makes up meals or feasts: A viand is something that is considered to be really delicious to consume.

A Thanksgiving turkey dinner is one possible example of a good viand.

No matter what people consider to be delicious, they are lucky if they are eating and drinking viands.

2. Etymology: from Latin vivenda from the verb vivo, "I live" and from vivere, "to live".
An article of food for meals.
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victual
1. Food or other provisions.
2. Etymology: from Old French vitaille, from Latin victualia (which later influenced the English spelling); from victus, "livelihood, food"; from vivere, "to live".
victualler
A person providing or selling food or other provisions.
victualless
1. Without food supplies; lacking provisions.
2. Lacking food or provisions for human beings.
victualling
Providing food supplies.
viper
1. A snake with hollow fangs that it uses to inject venom into its victim when it bites.

Native to: Europe, Asia, Africa.

2. Etymology: from Middle French (about 1400-1600) vipere; from Latin vipera, "viper, snake, serpent"; from vivus, "alive, living" + parere "bring forth, bear"; from assumed vivipera, "live-bearing"; from the ancient belief that snakes bore live young).
viperine: viper
1. Resembling a viper or that of a viper; having the nature or character of a viper; venomous, viperous; viper-like.
2. Etymology: from Old French, from Latin vipera, snake; a contraction of vivipera; vivus, "alive" + parere, "to give birth".
viperous
Having the qualities of a viper; malignant; venomous or malicious; such as, a viperous tongue.
viperously
Characterized by having the qualities attributed to a viper; such as, being malignant or venomous.
viva
1. Used to express enthusiastic support for someone: such as, "Viva the president!"
2. Etymology: from the mid-17th century; from Italian, "may he, she", or "it live"; a form of Latin vivere, "to live".

Related life, live-word units: anima-; bio-; -cole; vita-.