vivid
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.very bright and strong in colour.
adj.producing powerful feelings or strong, clear images in the mind through intense colour or light.
Simple“The artist used vivid reds and oranges to paint the sunset.”
In context“The tropical birds displayed such vivid plumage that they remained visible even against the dense, dark green of the rainforest canopy.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.producing very clear and detailed images in your mind.
adj.evoking lifelike images or strong mental impressions through clarity and detail.
Simple“I still have a vivid memory of my first day at school.”
In context“The witness provided a vivid account of the event, describing the suspect's clothing and speech with remarkable precision.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
n.a brand of permanent marker pen used for writing on many surfaces.
n.a proprietary eponym for a felt-tipped permanent marker.
Simple“Can you pass me a vivid so I can write my name on this box?”
In context“He used a black vivid to label the moving crates, ensuring the ink wouldn't smudge if the cardboard got damp.”
UsageCommonly used in New Zealand English as a generic term for any permanent marker.
Teacher's tipThis is a regional term; outside of New Zealand, people will simply say 'marker' or 'Sharpie'.
Synonymsmarkerfelt tip
“She paints a vivid, messy picture of teenage girls’ minds and how little bits of their thinking lurk their way into adulthood.”
Learned borrowing from Latin vividus (“animated, spirited”), from vivere (“to live”), akin to vita (“life”), Ancient Greek βίος (bíos, “life”). The noun sense (a type of marker pen) was genericized from Bic's Vivid Marker brand.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.