living | Search Online Etymology Dictionary

362 entries found.

word-forming element meaning "animal, living being," from Greek zoion "an animal," literally "a living being," from PIE root *gwei- "to live" (source also of Greek bios "life").

joie de vivre (n.)

1889, French, literally "joy of living."

biogenesis (n.)

also bio-genesis, 1870, "theory that living organisms arise only from the agency of pre-existing living organisms," coined by English biologist T.H. Huxley from Greek bios "life" (from PIE root *gwei- "to live") + -genesis "birth, origin, creation." Meaning "the theoretical evolution of living matter from complex inanimate chemicals" is from 1960. Related: Biogenetic; biogenetical.

amphibian (n.)

"one of the class of animals between fishes and reptiles, having gills and living in water in the early stage of life, later living on land," 1835; from amphibian (adj.). Amphibia was used in this sense from c. 1600.

rustication (n.)

1620s, "action of retiring to or living in the country," from Latin rusticationem (nominative rusticatio) "act or fact of living in the country," noun of action from past-participle stem of rusticari "live or stay in the country," from rusticus (see rustic).

biosynthesis (n.)

"production of chemical substances by living organisms," 1930; see bio- + synthesis.

acclimatize (v.)

1824, "modify a living thing to suit a foreign climate" (transitive); see acclimate + -ize. A more recent formation than acclimate and generally replacing it in this sense. Related: Acclimatized; acclimatizing. Simple climatize is attested from 1826 as "inure (a living thing) to a climate."

amphibious (adj.)

1640s, "combining two qualities; having two modes of life," especially "living both on land and in water," from Latinized form of Greek amphibios "having a double life; living on land and in water" (see amphibian (adj.)). Of motor vehicles, from 1915.

quickset (adj.)

"formed of living plants," 1530s, from earlier noun, "a living plant set to grow for a hedge" (late 15c.), from quick (n.) "a live fence or hedge formed of some growing plant," especially hawthorn (mid-15c.); see quick (adj.) + set (v.).

commensalism (n.)

"commensal existence or mode of living," 1870, from commensal + -ism.

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