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

Think about the phenology of plants, taking note of when the plants complete their life cycle, as this can shift the timing of the flowers. —Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 8 Apr. 2026

The firm has seen operators anticipate relatively short life cycles and construct facilities that are more modular in response. —April Roach, CNBC, 6 Apr. 2026

These pests are easy to squish, and this is time well spent, since there are up to five generations of these pests a year and elimination in the spring interrupts their life cycle and minimizes our rose slug angst for the remainder of the year. —Rita Perwich, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026

To minimize pest pressure, practice crop rotation to disrupt the pests' life cycle, and apply neem oil regularly. —Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 3 Apr. 2026

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