Meanings
- The mortal world, as opposed to the afterlife.
- humorousAwakeness, especially after a long and deep sleep.
Once I was back in the land of the living and my leg cast had been removed, my main aim in life was to get fit.
1995, Paul Vautin, Turn It Up!, Sydney: Pan Macmillan Australia, page 1573 more examples
The transition from serene slumber to head-thumping hangover is one of life's harshest experiences. […] Pancake was now fast arriving in the land of the living.
2012 September 12, Andy Dunn, Ungentlemanly Conduct, AuthorHouse, →ISBN, page 3Connie kissed Gail awake and she sat up and looked around. […] "Yes, my dear. Here we are again, back in the land of the living, safe and sound. And you know what?"
2015 January 26, Mary Wickizer Burgess, Hangover Hill: A Gail Brevard Mystery, Wildside Press LLC, →ISBN, page 102"Welcome back to the land of the living, Sleeping Beauty." Her forehead wrinkled. "How long have I been out?" The nurse checked his watch. "Almost two days."
2022 February 10, Ashley Holloway, A Ticket to the Titanic: A Time Travel Adventure, Bay Window Books
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
- Biblical Hebrewחַיִּים בְּאֶרֶץ
- Englishland of the living
Calque of Biblical Hebrew חַיִּים בְּאֶרֶץ from Psalm 27:13. Similar phrases are also found in other religions and mythologies, such as the Babylonian Epic of Gilgamesh.
More words from Biblical Hebrew
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
land of the living. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/land%20of%20the%20living
“land of the living.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/land%20of%20the%20living. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “land of the living,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/land%20of%20the%20living.
Source: land of the living on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.