Dictionary / thrive
thrive
- verb
- from Old Norse
To grow or increase stature; to grow vigorously or luxuriantly; to enjoy a state of excellent health and well-being; to flourish.
1 All current definitions
Every sense of “thrive” in current use, as recorded by Wiktionary. Older and obsolete senses are kept separately.
verb
- intransitiveTo grow or increase stature; to grow vigorously or luxuriantly; to enjoy a state of excellent health and well-being; to flourish.
Not all animals thrive well in captivity.
- intransitiveTo increase in wealth or success; to prosper, be profitable.
Since expanding in June, the business has really thrived.
Cross-check: WordNet senses (2)
- verbgrow vigorously — also: boom, flourish, expand
- verbmake steady progress; be at the high point in one's career or reach a high point in historical significance or importance — also: prosper, fly high, flourish
2 History of the word
The etymology, the path the word travelled, and the words built from it.
The word’s journey, newest to oldest:
- English (today)thrive
- Middle Englishthryven
- Old Norseþrífa “to seize, grasp, take hold, prosper”
- Proto-Germanic*þrībaną “to seize, prosper”
- Proto-Indo-European*trep-
From Middle English thryven, thriven, from Old Norse þrífa (“to seize, grasp, take hold, prosper”), from Proto-Germanic *þrībaną (“to seize, prosper”), from Proto-Indo-European *trep-, *terp- (“to satisfy, enjoy”). Cognate with Swedish trivas, Danish trives, Norwegian Bokmål trives.
Derivatives — words built from “thrive”
Phrases & compounds
Want to go deeper? See also “thrive” on Etymonline ↗
3 Original language
Where “thrive” came from before it was English.
4 Original meaning
What the word meant at the oldest point the record reaches.
Historical meaning — Webster’s 1913
A historical record, labelled as such: some of these senses are dated or have since shifted.
thrive v. i. [OE. , Icel. ; probably originally, to grasp for one's self, from to grasp; akin to Dan. trives to thrive, Sw. trifvas. Cf. Thrift.]
- To prosper by industry, economy, and good management of property; to increase in goods and estate; as, a farmer thrives by good husbandry.
- To prosper in any business; to have increase or success.
- To increase in bulk or stature; to grow vigorously or luxuriantly, as a plant; to flourish; as, young cattle thrive in rich pastures; trees thrive in a good soil.
5 Use it with confidence
Model sentences from the sources, matched to the meaning they show. Read each one aloud, then make your own in the game.
verbMeaning: To grow or increase stature; to grow vigorously or luxuriantly; to enjoy a state of excellent health and well-being; to flourish.
Not all animals thrive well in captivity.
to thrive upon hard work
verbMeaning: To increase in wealth or success; to prosper, be profitable.
Since expanding in June, the business has really thrived.
[…] Deliver me the key. Here do I choose, and thrive I as I may!c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623,
Three steps to owning it
- Pick one meaning above and read its model sentence out loud.
- Say who or what the word is about in your own life, then build a sentence around that.
- Check it against the definition: would a careful reader understand exactly that meaning?
6 The mastery game
Play it here, or print it and do it with pen and paper. At the end you will know the meanings, history, origin and original meaning — and you will have used the word yourself.
Say it, then spell it
thrive
/θɹajv/
Say the word out loud three times, slowly. Notice the stressed syllable. When you are ready, hide it and spell it from memory.
Activate Words · Word-mastery worksheet · Name: ______________________ Date: __________
thrive
/θɹajv/ · verb
Step 1 — Say it and write it
Say “thrive” out loud three times. Then cover the word and write it three times from memory.
Step 2 — Know every meaning
Read each definition. Then write it again in your own words.
Step 3 — Which meaning is it?
“Not all animals thrive well in captivity.”
Circle the meaning used.
“Since expanding in June, the business has really thrived.”
Circle the meaning used.
Step 4 — History and origin
Write the word’s journey back in time (each language and form):
Write three words built from “thrive” and what each means:
Step 5 — Original meaning
The earliest traceable form is Proto-Germanic *þrībaną. What did it mean?
How does that original meaning connect to the meanings today?
Step 6 — Use it yourself
☐ I can explain its meanings ☐ I know its history ☐ I know its original language ☐ I know its original meaning ☐ I can use it confidently
Answer key — thrive
Which meaning, sentence 1: A. To grow or increase stature; to grow vigorously or luxuriantly; to enjoy a state of excellent health and well-being; to flourish.
Which meaning, sentence 2: A. To increase in wealth or success; to prosper, be profitable.
Origin: D. Old Norse (Old Norse þrífa)
Journey: English thrive ← Middle English thryven ← Old Norse þrífa ← Proto-Germanic *þrībaną ← Proto-Indo-European *trep-
Some derivatives: thrift, thrivable, thriver, unthrive
Original meaning: Proto-Germanic *þrībaną — “to seize, prosper”
Etymology: From Middle English thryven, thriven, from Old Norse þrífa (“to seize, grasp, take hold, prosper”), from Proto-Germanic *þrībaną (“to seize, prosper”), from Proto-Indo-European *trep-, *terp- (“to satisfy, enjoy”). Cognate with Swedish trivas, Danish trives, Norwegian Bokmål trives.
Sources: Wiktionary “thrive” (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/thrive#English), CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org; Princeton WordNet 3.0; Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913, public domain) via GCIDE. Worksheet from https://activatewords.com/w/thrive