lifespan

noun

life·​span ˈlīf-ˌspan How to pronounce lifespan (audio)
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

Examples of lifespan in a Sentence

the average lifespan of house cats increase the human lifespan
Recent Examples on the Web Giant pandas have a lifespan of 18-20 years in the wild and up to 30 in captivity, according to Guinness World Records. Max Hauptman, USA TODAY, 17 Aug. 2024 Some home cooks have reported longer lifespans while others have had to replace their nonstick pans after just a year. Emily Farris, Bon Appétit, 14 Aug. 2024 Male tarantulas typically have much shorter lifespans, ranging from a few years to around 5-10 years on average. Tiffany Acosta, The Arizona Republic, 9 Aug. 2024 StarLink satellites have a lifespan of roughly five years before the company says they will be decommissioned. Boone Ashworth, WIRED, 8 Aug. 2024 That’s well within the lifespans of the majority of people alive today. The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 7 Aug. 2024 In addition to your diet, maintaining and strengthening the social connections in your life is one of the top ways to increase your lifespan. Renée Onque, CNBC, 30 July 2024 The problem does not reduce lifespan except in the rare cases of certain heart defects. Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 8 Aug. 2024 These plants will last longer than two years, although their lifespans can be much greater than that. Katherine McLaughlin, Architectural Digest, 7 Aug. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lifespan.' 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

1831, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of lifespan was in 1831

Dictionary Entries Near lifespan

Cite this Entry

“Lifespan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lifespan. Accessed 7 Sep. 2024.

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

life span

noun
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

More from Merriam-Webster on lifespan

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!