life expectancy

noun

: the average lifespan of an individual

Examples of life expectancy in a Sentence

improvements in diet that have resulted in greater life expectancy for many people

calculating the life expectancies of different social groups

Recent Examples on the Web

This may be particularly important for women, who have a higher life expectancy and therefore a higher lifetime risk of cognitive decline and dementia. — Mira Miller, Verywell Health, 3 Sep. 2026

Globally, people are living longer — one in six people worldwide will be age 60 or older by 2030, according to the World Health Organization — yet a longer life expectancy doesn’t necessarily mean living longer in good health. — Renée Onque, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026

Asians generally have longer life expectancies than those outside the region—but longer lives aren’t the same as healthier ones. — Angelica Ang, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026

But even in wealthy nations with high life expectancies, these super-aging hubs are outliers. — New Atlas, 26 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

life expectancy

noun

: the number of years that an individual or group of a certain age can expect to live on the average based on experience in the past for individuals or groups of the same kind

Medical Definition

life expectancy

noun

: an expected number of years of life based on statistical probability

Legal Definition

life expectancy

noun

: the average life span of an individual