survival

[ ser-vahy-vuhl ]
/ sərˈvaɪ vəl /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR survival ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the act or fact of surviving, especially under adverse or unusual circumstances.
a person or thing that survives or endures, especially an ancient custom, observance, belief, or the like.
Anthropology. (no longer in technical use) the persistence of a cultural trait, practice, or the like long after it has lost its original meaning or usefulness.

adjective

of, relating to, or for use in surviving, especially under adverse or unusual circumstances: survival techniques.

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Origin of survival

First recorded in 1590–1600; survive + -al2

OTHER WORDS FROM survival

non·sur·viv·al, noun

Words nearby survival

surveyor's chain, surveyor's compass, surveyor's level, surveyor's measure, survivable, survival, survival bag, survival curve, survivalist, survival kit, survival of the fittest
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to survival

continuity, endurance, durability, continuation, continuance, vestige, relic, remnant, remainder, natural selection

Example sentences from the Web for survival

British Dictionary definitions for survival

survival
/ (səˈvaɪvəl) /

noun

a person or thing that survives, such as a custom
  1. the act or fact of surviving or condition of having survived
  2. (as modifier)survival kit
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012