lived

American  

[lahyvd, livd] / laɪvd, lɪvd /

adjective

1. having life, a life, or lives, as specified (usually used in combination).

   a many-lived cat.

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-lived British  

/ -lɪvd /

adjective

1. having or having had a life as specified

   short-lived

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Pronunciation

Lived, meaning “having a certain kind or extent of life,” is not derived from the preterit and past participle of the verb live , but from the noun life , to which the suffix -ed has been added. The original pronunciation, therefore, and one still heard, is , which retains the vowel (ī) of life. Since the f of life changes to v with the addition of this suffix, as when leaf becomes leaved, this lived is identical in spelling with the preterit and past participle lived, and conflation of the two has led to the increasingly frequent pronunciation of this lived as in such combinations as long-lived and short-lived. Both pronunciations are considered standard.

Other Word Forms

• half-lived adjective

Etymology

Origin of lived

A Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; life, -ed ³

Example Sentences

Some people may have gaps in their national insurance record if, for example, they have lived abroad or taken time off to care for children.

From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026

He wrote better about the Catholic faith than he lived it.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

Tree sloths once lived in the Caribbean but disappeared after humans arrived.

From Science Daily • Apr. 3, 2026

The two allegedly lived together, maintained joint bank accounts, and paid shared expenses such as flights and hotel stays.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026

No one liked humans, not even the half-brained toads who lived in the muddy ditch along the road.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman