Viva/ˈviːvə/ Definition 1 of 2Pro Tip 1/3Academic Setting Viva is often used in universities and involves verbal responses to examiners' questions. She is preparing for her doctoral viva. Pro Tip 2/3Stress Preparation A viva can be stressful; understanding its purpose helps reduce anxiety. He spent weeks preparing for his viva. Pro Tip 3/3Defense Mechanism In a viva, you usually defend your work or argument against critical examination. During her viva, she expertly defended her thesis.