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

Leaders can do this by including AI integration into monthly business reviews and product life cycles. —Jeanne Meister, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025

Swap a non-cucurbit plant over a cucurbit plant to break the borer life cycle. —Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 23 Apr. 2025

Additionally, the life cycle of plastics contributes to environmental injustice, as plastics tend to be both manufactured and disposed of in lower-income communities and communities of color, Valliant said. —Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2025

What to know about Brood XIV and where to spot them What’s the life cycle of a cicada? —Saleen Martin, USA Today, 16 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1855, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for life cycle

• recycle
• motorcycle

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