viviente

Viviente is a Spanish term that functions primarily as an adjective meaning living or alive. It is used to describe beings, objects, or states that possess life, and it often appears in more formal or literary contexts. In everyday language, safer and more common equivalents are vivo or ser vivo. As a noun, viviente can refer to a living person or being, especially in literary or religious texts, and it may appear in the plural los vivientes to contrast the living with the dead, though this usage is relatively rare in modern prose.

Etymology and form: viviente comes from vivir, with the form derived from the Latin present participle vivens, viventis. The adjective has the same form for masculine and feminine, as in un ser viviente or una criatura viviente, with agreement to the noun it modifies. When used as a standalone noun, gender follows the referent, and the plural can be los vivientes.

Usage notes: In contemporary Spanish, viviente is more commonly found in formal, literary, or religious contexts than in everyday speech, where vivo or ser vivo is preferred. It can appear in descriptive passages to emphasize vitality, continuity of life, or contrast with non-living or dead entities.

See also: vivo, ser vivo, criatura viviente, ser viviente, vida.