lifespan

noun

life·​span ˈlīf-ˌspan 

variants or less commonly life span

plural lifespans also life-spans

1

: the average length of life of a kind of organism or of a material object especially in a particular environment or under specified circumstances

2

: the duration of existence of an individual

Synonyms of lifespan

• duration
• life
• lifetime
• time

Examples of lifespan in a Sentence

the average lifespan of house cats

increase the human lifespan

Recent Examples on the Web

While Spirometra are known to have long lives in humans, the lifespan is typically reported as being around 20 to 30 years. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 9 July 2026

Penta Tandem monitors vertically stack five light-emitting layers, which improves energy efficiency, significantly boosts peak brightness, and drastically extends the overall lifespan of the screen. — Zackery Cuevas, PC Magazine, 9 July 2026

Elite athletes have genetic, environmental, and behavioral characteristics associated with long lifespans and lower risk of brain disease, making the data from NFL players all the more dramatic. — Damian Garde, STAT, 9 July 2026

Moreover, since the half-life of carbon is 5,730 years, the nuclear battery effectively has a lifespan of thousands of years, the South China Morning Post, said in its report. — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 8 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1831, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for lifespan

• businessman
• canavan
• caravan
• constantan
• dragoman
• fisherman
• handyman
• harmattan
• journeyman
• marianne
• middleman
• minivan

Kids Definition

life span

noun

: the average length of life of a living thing or of the persistence of a material object under specified circumstances or in a particular environment

Medical Definition

lifespan

noun

ˈlīf-ˌspan 

variants also life span

1

: the duration of existence of an individual

2

: the average length of life of a kind of organism or of a material object especially in a particular environment or under specified circumstances