revivre

Revivre is a French verb meaning to live again or to relive. It can denote literal revival, such as a return to life, as well as the figurative re-experiencing of a memory, sensation, or situation. The term is used in everyday language, literature, journalism, and psychology to describe re-experiencing something as if it were happening again.

Etymology: The form comes from the prefix re- meaning "again" combined with vivre, "to live," which ultimately derives from Latin vivere. The sense of repetition or return is central to its meaning, allowing both physical senses of revival and figurative senses of emotional or cognitive reliving.

Usage and nuances: In common use, revivre governs a direct object referring to what is re-experienced, for example revivre un souvenir or revivre des émotions. In narrative writing, it can describe a character reliving past events; in journalism or political commentary, it may convey a revival of interest, momentum, or hope. In psychology or trauma discourse, it can express the reliving of traumatic memories, sometimes with clinical or subjective nuance.

Translations and distinctions: In English, revivre is typically translated as "to relive" or "to live again"; in contexts of revival it can mean "to be revived" or "to come back to life." It is distinct from revoir, which means "to see again." In usage, revivre emphasizes the experiential return of living or feeling, rather than merely the act of seeing again.