modus vivendi

English

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin modus vīvendī, from modus (“way, manner”) + genitive gerund form of vīvere (“to live”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˌməʊdəs vɪˈvɛndiː/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˌmoʊdəs vɪˈvɛndiː/
• enPR: mōʹdus vivĕnʹdi

Noun

modus vivendi (plural modi vivendi)

1. A way of living, especially a working arrangement to allow for peaceful coexistence between two parties in spite of differences or unresolved disputes. [from 19th c.]
   • 1886 May, Thomas Hardy, chapter XVII, in The Mayor of Casterbridge: The Life and Death of a Man of Character. […], volume I, London: Smith, Elder & Co., […], →OCLC:

     One would almost have supposed Henchard to have had policy to see that no better modus vivendi could be arrived at with Farfrae than by encouraging him to become his son-in-law.

   • 1931, H. P. Lovecraft, chapter 5, in The Whisperer in Darkness:

     The alien beings desire to know mankind more fully, and to have a few of mankind’s philosophic and scientific leaders know more about them. With such an exchange of knowledge all perils will pass, and a satisfactory modus vivendi be established.

   • 2009, Karen Armstrong, The Case for God, Vintage, published 2010, page 53:

     The Persians were reviewing the legal systems of the subject peoples to make sure that they were compatible with imperial security, and Ezra had probably worked out a satisfactory modus vivendi between Mosaic and Persian jurisprudence.

   • 2023 October 14, Lawrence Freedman, “No end in sight”, in FT Weekend, Life & Arts, page 2:

     For the moment it is impossible to identify a future modus vivendi with Gaza. No deals with Hamas will be trusted but nor is there a certain route to eliminate Hamas.

Translations

Translations

• Finnish: tapa elää rinnakkain, yhteistoimintatapa
• Polish: modus vivendi (pl) m

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin modus vīvendī (literally “manner of living”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌmodus biˈbendi/ [ˌmo.ð̞uz β̞iˈβ̞ẽn̪.d̪i]
• Syllabification: mo‧dus vi‧ven‧di

Noun

modus vivendi m (plural modi vivendi)

1. modus vivendi

Related terms

• modus operandi

 

Further reading

• “modus vivendi”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014