modus vivendi

American  

[moh-duhs vi-ven-dee, -dahy] / ˈmoʊ dəs vɪˈvɛn di, -daɪ /

noun

modi vivendi plural

1. manner of living; way of life; lifestyle.

2. a temporary arrangement between persons or parties pending a settlement of matters in debate.

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modus vivendi British  

/ ˈməʊdəs vɪˈvɛndiː, -ˈvɛndaɪ /

noun

1. a working arrangement between conflicting interests; practical compromise

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modus vivendi Cultural  

1. A compromise between adversaries that allows them to get along temporarily: “During the separation, my parents adopted a modus vivendi that enabled them to tolerate each other.” From Latin, meaning a “method of living.”

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• modi vivendi
  plural

Etymology

Origin of modus vivendi

First recorded in 1875–80, modus vivendi is from Latin modus vivendī “mode of living”

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

modus vivendi

Mr. Sharabi and his fellow hostages develop a modus vivendi with their captors.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2025

There are also economic targets Iran could strike, but this would antagonise its Gulf Arab neighbours who have recently reached an uneasy modus vivendi with the Islamic Republic.

From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2025

Since that war, Hezbollah and Israel have maintained a respectful but wary modus vivendi, with the occasional tit-for-tat attack but little more.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2023

In fact, Nixon was considering a proposal by a senior State Department official—one of Kissinger’s aides—to reach a modus vivendi with Allende.

From Slate ● May 27, 2023

It is the fate of this modus vivendi, accepted by the majority of Irishmen as a reasonable commutation of their claims, that explains the recent insurrection.

From The Invisible Censor by Hackett, Francis