late 14c., from Old French vivifier "come alive; give life to" (12c.), from Late Latin vivificare "make alive, restore to life," from vivificus "enlivening," from Latin vivus "alive" (from PIE root *gwei- "to live") + combining form of facere "to make" (from PIE root *dhe- "to set, put"). Vivificate in same sense is recorded from early 15c.
