life cycle

noun

1

: the series of stages in form and functional activity through which an organism passes between successive recurrences of a specified primary stage

2

: life history sense 2

3

: a series of stages through which something (such as an individual, culture, or manufactured product) passes during its lifetime

Examples of life cycle in a Sentence

the life cycle of a shark

Recent Examples on the Web

Their curiously long life cycle also protects them. —Rivka Galchen, The New Yorker, 7 May 2024

The design was inspired by the life cycle of a flower, from its initial blooming to its withering and decaying breakdown. —Christian Allaire, Vogue, 7 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1855, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

life cycle

noun

1

: the series of stages of form and activity through which a living thing passes from a beginning stage (as an egg) in one individual to the same stage in its offspring

2

: life history sense 1

Medical Definition

life cycle

noun

1

: the series of stages in form and functional activity through which an organism passes between successive recurrences of a specified primary stage

2

: life history sense 1a