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

The contrast indicated reductions across all life cycle stages (for example, a 19 percent reduction in raw materials footprint), with the claims based on life cycle analyses consistent with ISO 14040 and 14044 standards. —Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 3 Dec. 2025

This included approaches to detect, assess and mitigate performance changes over time to help assure these medical devices remain safe and effective throughout their life cycle. —Lauren Giella, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2025

Those damages begin at the very start of plastic’s life cycle, when fossil fuels are extracted from the Earth, and persist during every subsequent stage of their journey from store shelves, to recycling centers, to their inevitable disposal. —Judith Enck, Time, 1 Dec. 2025

Unema’s role spans the full life cycle of an ROV’s design, construction, and operation. —Edd Gent, IEEE Spectrum, 27 Nov. 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