lively

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See also: Lively

English

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Pronunciation

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Etymology 1

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From Middle English lyvely, lifly, from Old English līflīċ (living, lively, long-lived, necessary to life, vital), equivalent to life +‎ -ly. Cognate with Scots lively, lifely (of or pertaining to life, vital, living, life-like). Doublet of lifely and lifelike.

Alternative forms

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Adjective

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lively (comparative livelier, superlative liveliest)

  1. Full of life; energetic, vivacious.
  2. Bright, glowing, vivid; strong, vigorous.
    • 1704, Isaac Newton, Opticks: Or, A Treatise of the Reflections, Refractions, Inflections and Colours of Light:
      The colours of the prism are manifestly more full, intense, and lively that those of natural bodies.
    • 1688, Robert South, Sacramental Preparation: Set forth in a Sermon on Matthew 5, 12.:
      His faith must be not only living, but lively too.
  3. (archaic) Endowed with or manifesting life; living.
    • c. 1600, Philemon Holland
      chaplets of gold and silver resembling lively flowers and leaves
  4. (archaic) Representing life; lifelike.
  5. (archaic) Airy; animated; spirited.
  6. (of beer) Fizzy; foamy; tending to produce a large head in the glass.
Synonyms
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Derived terms
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Collocations
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Translations
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Noun

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lively (plural livelies)

  1. (nautical, informal) Term of address.

Etymology 2

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From Middle English lyvely, lifly, from Old English līflīċe, equivalent to life +‎ -ly.

Adverb

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lively (comparative more lively, superlative most lively)

  1. Vigorously.
  2. Vibrantly, vividly.
  3. (obsolete) In a lifelike manner.
Derived terms
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Translations
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Anagrams

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