Dictionary

survivor en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /sɚˈvaɪvɚ/ (US)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /səˈvaɪvə/ (UK)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *úp Proto-Indo-European *-er Proto-Indo-European *upér Proto-Italic *super Latin super Latin super- Proto-Indo-European *gʷeyh₃- Proto-Indo-European *-wós Proto-Indo-European *gʷih₃wós Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *gʷíh₃weti Proto-Italic *gʷīwō Latin vīvō Latin supervīvereder. English survive English -or English survivor From survive + -or.

Meanings

1. One who survives, especially one who survives a traumatic experience.
   • Believing that requires trust, and trust is understandably a tough issue for those of us who are survivors. 1984 August 18, Pam Mitchell, “We Must Not Silence Our Lives”, in Gay Community News, volume 12, number 6, page 9:
   • From this moment on, I choose to live not as a victim, but as a survivor.
2. (figuratively) A person who is able to endure hardship.
   • I'm a survivor. We're a dying breed. 2007, Xavier: Renegade Angel, season 1, episode 1, spoken by Xavier (Vernon Chatman):
3. One who knew a specific decedent.
   • They left no immediate survivors. 2025 November 19, Clay Risen, “Alice and Ellen Kessler, ’60s Singing Sensations, Die at 89”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
   • She was from a large family and had many friends, so the funeral was crowded with mourning survivors.

Forms

Deriveds

non-survivor · previvor · adult survivor · designated survivor · survivor syndrome · survivor bias · sole survivor · surthriver · nonsurvivor · last survivor · surthrivor · survivor guilt · survivorship

Synonyms

overliver · tough cookie · trooper

Translations (75)

sw nusura (one who survives) · bg оцеля́л (one who survives) · cy goroeswr (one who survives) · pl ocalały (one who survives) · mi pūtoetoe (one who survives) · fi selviytynyt (one who survives) · de Überlebenskünstler (person who is able to endure hardship) · gd neach-tàrrsainn (one who survives) · ru вы́живший (one who survives) · es superviviente (one who survives) · sh nadživeli (one who knew a specific decedent) · ca supervivent (one who survives) · it sopravvissuto (one who survives) · es superviviente (one who knew a specific decedent) · sh preživeli (one who survives) · mi makorea (one who survives) · eo supervivinto (one who survives) · uk уцілі́вший (one who survives) · mi mōrehurehu (one who survives) · ru оста́вшийся в живы́х (one who survives) · mi mokorea (one who survives) · el επιζών (one who survives) · gl supervivente (one who survives) · sh preživjeli (one who survives) · es supérstite (one who knew a specific decedent) · sv överlevande (one who survives) · cmn 幸存者 (one who survives) · nl overlevende (one who survives) · id penyintas (one who survives) · ro supraviețuitor (one who survives) · cmn 堅韌的人 /坚韧的人 (person who is able to endure hardship) · fi selviytyjä (person who is able to endure hardship) · cmn 故人之親友 /故人之亲友 (one who knew a specific decedent) · el επιβιωθητής (one who survives) · ru уцеле́вший (one who survives) · vi người sống sót (one who survives) · nb overlever (one who survives) · uk той, хто ви́жив (one who survives) · sv överlevare (one who survives) · nl nabestaande (one who knew a specific decedent) · fi selviytyjä (one who survives) · it superstite (one who survives) · mk по́знаник (one who knew a specific decedent) · ja 生き残り (one who survives) · ja 生存者 (one who survives) · ru знако́мый умершего (one who knew a specific decedent) · de Überlebender (one who survives) · nl overlever (person who is able to endure hardship) · es perviviente (one who survives) · ang alibbend (one who survives) · fr survivante (one who survives) · uk той, хто лиши́вся живи́м (one who survives) · fi jälkeenjäänyt (one who knew a specific decedent) · mk преживе́аник (one who survives) · mk прежи́веан (one who survives) · mi tūora (one who survives) · pl ocalała (one who survives) · de Überlebende (one who survives) · fa بازمانده (one who survives) · es sobreviviente (one who knew a specific decedent) · sv efterlevande (one who knew a specific decedent) · la superstes (one who survives) · mi toiora (one who survives) · hi उत्तरजीवी (one who survives) · fr rescapé (one who survives) · pt sobrevivente (one who survives) · ko 생존자 (one who survives) · sh nadživjeli (one who knew a specific decedent) · hu túlélő (one who survives) · fr survivant (one who survives) · gl sobrevivente (one who survives) · fr rescapée (one who survives) · mi mōrehu (one who survives) · es sobreviviente (one who survives) · de harter Knochen (person who is able to endure hardship)