live-forever: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Specialized / Botanical / Literary
Quick answer
What does “live-forever” mean?
A succulent plant (genus Sedum or Sempervivum) reputed for its hardiness and ability to survive with little water.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A succulent plant (genus Sedum or Sempervivum) reputed for its hardiness and ability to survive with little water.
Something extremely durable or long-lasting; by extension, a person or thing that seems to endure indefinitely.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is known in both varieties but is not common in everyday speech. In botanical contexts, UK usage might prefer 'houseleek' (Sempervivum) or specific Sedum names. US usage may more readily use 'live-forever' for Sedum species.
Connotations
Connotes resilience, low maintenance, and tenacity of life. In extended use, can have a slightly poetic or old-fashioned tone.
Frequency
Very low frequency in general corpora. Higher frequency in gardening texts and regional dialects where the plant is common.
Grammar
How to Use “live-forever” in a Sentence
The [PLANT] is a live-forever.It's called live-forever because [REASON].[PERSON/THING] is a real live-forever.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “live-forever” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- N/A – The hyphenated form is not a verb.
American English
- N/A – The hyphenated form is not a verb.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- She has a live-forever plant on her windowsill.
- Its live-forever qualities are legendary.
American English
- We planted live-forever sedum in the rock garden.
- He admired its live-forever resilience.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Could be used metaphorically: 'That product line is a live-forever; it just won't stop selling.'
Academic
Used in botanical and horticultural texts to refer to specific species.
Everyday
Uncommon. Likely only among gardeners or in regions where the plant grows wild.
Technical
A common name for various species in the genera Sedum and Sempervivum.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “live-forever”
- Writing as two separate words 'live forever' when meaning the plant.
- Using it as a standard adjective without hyphenation (e.g., 'a live forever plant').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
They are related but not identical. 'Live-forever' commonly refers to plants in the Sedum genus, while 'houseleek' specifically refers to plants in the Sempervivum genus. Both are succulents known for hardiness.
Yes, but it's figurative and somewhat literary. It means a person who is incredibly resilient or seems to defy death, e.g., 'After all he's been through, he's a real live-forever.'
The hyphen links the two words into a single compound noun, distinguishing it from the verb phrase 'to live forever'. This is standard for many plant names (e.g., forget-me-not).
It is pronounced like the verb 'to live' (/lɪv/), not the adjective 'live' (/laɪv/). The stress typically falls on 'forever': /ˌlɪv fəˈrɛvə/.
A succulent plant (genus Sedum or Sempervivum) reputed for its hardiness and ability to survive with little water.
Live-forever is usually specialized / botanical / literary in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Tough as a live-forever.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'It LIVES almost FOREVER without much care' → LIVE-FOREVER.
Conceptual Metaphor
ENDURANCE IS ETERNAL LIFE (applied to a plant).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'live-forever' most appropriately used?