What does revivable mean?
Revivable is an adjective meaning that something can be brought back to life, renewed, or restored to active and effective operation. It is frequently applied to businesses, institutions, buildings, projects, traditions, and ideas that have declined, failed, or remained dormant. Saying that something is revivable is generally more optimistic than merely saying that it is recoverable: it suggests that the underlying potential for a successful return remains. The word is especially common in formal reporting and discussion of public policy, economics, history, and cultural preservation. For example, a declining local newspaper may be described as revivable if it could be reorganized and sustained by new investment. In ordinary conversation, people are more likely to use “can be revived” or “can be brought back to life.” Revivable nevertheless remains useful because it compactly distinguishes something that still has a realistic prospect of renewal from something that is beyond restoration.
adjectiveAble to be revived or restored to life, activity, or effective operation. It is often used of businesses, institutions, ideas, and projects that can be brought back after decline or abandonment.
- Able to be revived, restored, or brought back into active use.
"The council believed that the historic theater was still revivable and approved a restoration plan."
"The scheme was too badly damaged to be revivable."
"With sustained investment and a new management team, the business was clearly revivable."
Revivable describes what can have a second life: a business, a building, or even an idea that seemed finished.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of revivable
Revivable was formed in English by adding the suffix “-able” to “revive,” meaning to bring back to life or restore to activity. “Revive” comes through Middle French from Latin “revivere,” a compound of the prefix “re-,” meaning again, and “vivere,” meaning to live. The same Latin root underlies cognates such as “revival,” “reviver,” and “vivacious.”
Related word forms
How revivable is actually used
The word is formal and is especially common in business, political, cultural, and institutional contexts. It usually implies that decline or abandonment can be reversed, although it does not guarantee that revival will be successful.
Easily confused with revivable
Revocable means capable of being withdrawn or cancelled, whereas revivable means capable of being brought back to life or effective operation.