living

[liv-ing]

adjective

1. having life; being alive; not dead.

   living persons.

   Synonyms: quick, live
   Antonyms: dead

2. in actual existence or use; extant.

   living languages.

3. active or thriving; vigorous; strong.

   a living faith.

   Synonyms: flourishing, lively

4. burning or glowing, as a coal.

5. flowing freely, as water.

6. pertaining to, suitable for, or sufficient for existence or subsistence.

   living conditions; a living wage.

7. of or relating to living persons.

   within living memory.

8. lifelike; true to life, as a picture or narrative.

9. in its natural state and place; not uprooted, changed, etc..

   living rock.

10. Informal.,  very; absolute (used as an intensifier).

    You scared the living daylights out of me!

    He's making her life a living hell.

noun

1. the act or condition of a person or thing that lives.

   Living is very expensive these days.

2. the means of maintaining life; livelihood.

   to earn one's living.

   Synonyms: subsistence, sustenance

3. a particular manner, state, or status of life.

   luxurious living.

4. (used with a plural verb),  Usually the living living persons collectively.

   glad to be back among the living.

5. British.,  the benefice of a member of the clergy.

living

/ ˈlɪvɪŋ /

adjective

1. 1. possessing life; not dead

   2. ( as collective noun preceded by the )

      the living

2. having the characteristics of life (used esp to distinguish organisms from nonliving matter)

3. currently in use or valid

   living language

4. seeming to be real

   a living image

5. (of animals or plants) existing in the present age; extant Compare extinct

6. geology another word for live 2

7. presented by actors before a live audience

   living theatre

8. (prenominal) (intensifier)

   the living daylights

noun

1. the condition of being alive

2. the manner in which one conducts one's life

   fast living

3. the means, esp the financial means, whereby one lives

4. Church of England another term for benefice

5. (modifier) of, involving, or characteristic of everyday life

   living area

6. (modifier) of or involving those now alive (esp in the phrase living memory )

Other Word Forms

• livingly adverb
• livingness noun
• nonliving adjective
• quasi-living adjective
• unliving adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of living¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English adjective lyvyng(e); replacing earlier liviende, Old English lifgende ( live ¹, -ing ² ); Middle English noun living(e) ( -ing ¹ )

Example Sentences

A California man was found living secretly in the crawl space of a condominium in Oregon, according officials, who say the man had outfitted the space with a bed, electricity, and other amenities.

From Los Angeles Times

But what about this life, the one she’s living now?

From Los Angeles Times

So she found a place for me in Glendale, which advertised itself as “gracious senior living.”

From Los Angeles Times

I know that many people of all political persuasions admire that someone as talented as you is the living embodiment of social mobility.

From BBC

By the end of the second film, Tom and Lucy have a baby of their own and are living away from Downton.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• existence 
• income 
• job 
• livelihood 

When To Use

What are other ways to say living?

A person’s living is their means of maintaining life. How is this term different from livelihood and maintenance? Find out on Thesaurus.com.