vécu
Vécu is a French noun referring to the lived experience of an individual or group—the sum of events, feelings, and perceptions that people have actually undergone. It emphasizes subjective reality and personal meaning, often in contrast with knowledge gained through theory, abstract reasoning, or formal measurement. The expression expérience vécue (lived experience) is common, and the bare noun le vécu can be used when the context makes the meaning clear.
Etymology and grammar: vécu is the past participle of vivre (to live) and functions as a masculine
Usage and scope: In sociology, anthropology, psychology, and philosophy, vécu is used to describe how people
Relation to expérience: While expérience denotes knowledge or practice gained through involvement or observation, expérience vécue
Linguistic notes: In English-language scholarship, vécu is sometimes adopted as a loanword to signal a focus