# alive

> English word · Adjective · IPA /əˈlaɪv/ · frequency rank #1,780

## Definitions
1. Having life; living; not dead.
2. In a state of action; in force or operation; existent.
3. Busy with activity of many living beings; swarming; thronged; busy.
4. Carrying electrical current; energized.
5. Aware of; sensitive to.
6. Sprightly; lively; brisk.
7. Susceptible, sensitive; easy to impress; having keen feelings, as opposed to apathy.
8. Out of all living creatures.
9. Synonym of live.

## Etymology
From Middle English alive, alife, olive, olife, on live, on life, from Old English on līfe (“alive”, literally “in life" or "in (the) body”), from on (“on, in”) + līfe, dative singular of līf (“life”). In this sense, replaced Old English cwic (whence English quick). Equivalent to a- + life. Compare Dutch in leven (“alive”, literally “in life”), German am Leben (“alive”, literally “at life" or "at living”).

## Easily confused with
- **ave** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alive-vs-ave)
- **aloe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alive-vs-aloe)
- **Alva** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alive-vs-alva)
- **Arie** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alive-vs-arie)
- **alone** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alive-vs-alone)
- **aside** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alive-vs-aside)
- **arise** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alive-vs-arise)
- **Allie** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alive-vs-allie)
- **amine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alive-vs-amine)
- **anise** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alive-vs-anise)
- **arrive** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alive-vs-arrive)
- **alpine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alive-vs-alpine)
- **Ali** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ali-vs-alive)
- **ale** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ale-vs-alive)
- **aide** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/aide-vs-alive)
- **above** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/above-vs-alive)
- **alien** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alien-vs-alive)
- **Alice** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alice-vs-alive)
- **alike** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alike-vs-alive)
- **align** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/align-vs-alive)

## Common misspellings (6)
`ailve`, `aliev`, `alivve`, `allive`, `alvie`, `laive`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/alive