life history

noun

1

: a history of the changes through which an organism passes in its development from the primary stage to its natural death

2

: the history of an individual or thing

Examples of life history in a Sentence

studying the life history of bears

Recent Examples on the Web

Trapdoor spiders in the Bungulla genus are found on Australia’s west coast and little is known about their biology, life history, or burrowing strategies, according to researchers. —Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2025

Despite being one of the most recognizable of the shark species, there is a striking lack of fundamental data on their life history and ecology. —Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025

In 1938, already divided over fundamental aspects of the fish’s life history, the world’s foremost scientific experts gathered in Canada for a Conference on Salmon Problems. —Greg Uyeno, JSTOR Daily, 27 Aug. 2025

The authors hope to continue to investigate how other developmental genes across other sea spider species may have appeared or disappeared throughout their life history, per Earth.com, potentially affecting their abdomens. —Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for life history

• ethnohistory
• consistory
• mystery

Kids Definition

life history

noun

1

: a history of the changes through which a living thing passes in its development from the first stage to its natural death

2

: life cycle sense 1

Medical Definition

life history

noun

1

a

: a history of the changes through which an organism passes in its development from the primary stage to its natural death

b

: one series of the changes in a life history

2

: the history of an individual's development in his or her social environment