rife

Meanings

Adjective

• Widespread, common, prevalent, current (mainly of unpleasant or harmful things).
• Abounding; present in large numbers, plentiful.
• Full of (mostly unpleasant or harmful things).
• Having power; active; nimble.

Adverb

• Plentifully, abundantly.

Origin

• From Middle English rife, from Old English rīfe, rȳfe, from Proto-Germanic *rībaz, from Proto-Indo-European *reyp-. Cognate with West Frisian rju, Low German rive, Dutch rijf, Icelandic rífr, Icelandic reifa.