survivorship

noun

sur·​vi·​vor·​ship sər-ˈvī-vər-ˌship How to pronounce survivorship (audio)
1
: the legal right of the survivor of persons having joint interests in property to take the interest of the person who has died
2
: the state of being a survivor : survival
3
: the probability of surviving to a particular age
also : the number or proportion of survivors (as of an age group or population)

Examples of survivorship in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web They are used by scientists to study growth, survivorship and fish movement and have been inserted into some brown trout within the Colorado River. The Arizona Republic, 1 Mar. 2024 This survivorship bias results in rightful celebrations of embryos who progress successfully to birth but neglects their brothers and sisters, the plight of close to 1 million human beings stuck on ice awaiting destruction, experimentation, or (in rare cases) adoption. The Editors, National Review, 23 Feb. 2024 And young patients also need help navigating survivorship. Lisa Jarvis, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2024 But younger people also require a different type of help during treatment and into survivorship. Lisa Jarvis, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2024 While a typical member of the class of 1962 is about 82 years old, the survivorship of our class more closely resembles a group of men who are about 72. Scott Burns, Dallas News, 5 June 2022 Tenancy by the entireties (known as TBE) is a form of property where husband and wife own property jointly, but on the death of one the entire interest automatically passes to the other (called the right of survivorship). Jay Adkisson, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2023 Can personal property, such as stocks and bonds, also be held as community property with right of survivorship? Christopher A. Combs, The Arizona Republic, 25 July 2023 Unmarried co-buyers who haven’t formed a separate legal entity like a corporation typically take title either as tenants in common or joint tenants with right of survivorship. Robyn A. Friedman, BostonGlobe.com, 12 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'survivorship.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1625, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of survivorship was circa 1625

Dictionary Entries Near survivorship

Cite this Entry

“Survivorship.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/survivorship. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

survivorship

noun
sur·​vi·​vor·​ship -ˈvī-vər-ˌship How to pronounce survivorship (audio)
1
: the state of being a survivor
quality of life in long-term survivorship (five years or longer) of patients who have experienced breast cancer
2
: the probability of surviving to a particular age
also : the number or proportion of survivors (as of an age group)

Legal Definition

survivorship

noun
sur·​vi·​vor·​ship
1
: the right of one or more joint tenants who have survived another to take the interest of the person who has died
2
: the state of being a survivor

More from Merriam-Webster on survivorship

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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