VIVACITY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does vivacity mean? 

• VIVACITY (noun)
  The noun VIVACITY has 1 sense:

1. characterized by high spirits and animation

  Familiarity information: VIVACITY used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• VIVACITY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Characterized by high spirits and animation

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("vivacity" is a kind of...):

high-spiritedness (exuberant liveliness)

Derivation:

vivacious (vigorous and animated)

 Context examples 

"Had I known as much half an hour ago—But since I AM here,"—speaking with a forced vivacity as he returned to his seat—"what does it signify?

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

And now I looked much better than I did when Bessie saw me; I had more colour and more flesh, more life, more vivacity, because I had brighter hopes and keener enjoyments.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Her spirits even were good, and she was full of a happy vivacity, but I could see evidences of the absolute prostration which she had undergone.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

There was color, light, and life in the boy's face now, vivacity in his manner, and genuine merriment in his laugh.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

His lady greeted him with some of her sparkling vivacity.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

There was the same candour, the same vivacity, but it was allied to an expression more full of sensibility and intellect.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

The idea soon reached to conviction, as she observed his increasing civilities toward herself, and heard his frequent attempt at a compliment on her wit and vivacity; and though more astonished than gratified herself by this effect of her charms, it was not long before her mother gave her to understand that the probability of their marriage was extremely agreeable to her.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

They were always engaged in some sentimental discussion or lively dispute, but their sentiment was conveyed in such whispering voices, and their vivacity attended with so much laughter, that though Catherine's supporting opinion was not unfrequently called for by one or the other, she was never able to give any, from not having heard a word of the subject.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

The women of the island have abundance of vivacity: they contemn their husbands, and are exceedingly fond of strangers, whereof there is always a considerable number from the continent below, attending at court, either upon affairs of the several towns and corporations, or their own particular occasions, but are much despised, because they want the same endowments.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

Edmund had already gone through the service once since his ordination; and upon this being understood, he had a variety of questions from Crawford as to his feelings and success; questions, which being made, though with the vivacity of friendly interest and quick taste, without any touch of that spirit of banter or air of levity which Edmund knew to be most offensive to Fanny, he had true pleasure in satisfying; and when Crawford proceeded to ask his opinion and give his own as to the properest manner in which particular passages in the service should be delivered, shewing it to be a subject on which he had thought before, and thought with judgment, Edmund was still more and more pleased.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)