Where does “alive” come from?

Alive comes from Middle English alive, from Old English on līfe, literally "in life."

alive (English): Having life; living; not dead; In a state of...

Definitions

  1. Having life; living; not dead; In a state of...

Ancestry of “alive”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishalyvealive, living
2Old Englishon līfein life

Words derived from “alive

Every word from Old English on līfeEvery word from Middle English alyve