lifer

noun

lif·​er ˈlī-fər 

1

: a person sentenced to imprisonment for life

2

: a person who makes a career of one of the armed forces

3

: a person who has made a lifelong commitment (as to a way of life)

Examples of lifer in a Sentence

He was a lifer at the factory.

Recent Examples on the Web

These guys are lifers, true believers, a family affair. — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 25 June 2026

Cue is an Apple lifer, having joined the company in 1989. — Todd Spangler, Variety, 22 June 2026

Onstage as on your phone, Dylan was searching for new limits Wednesday — a lifer grinding toward the sublime. — Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026

The spectators, meanwhile, were a perfect mix of first-timers and lifers, with both groups taking their dedication to the theme very, very seriously. — Amir Hamja, Vogue, 22 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1827, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for lifer

• cipher
• cypher
• fifer
• heifer
• pfeiffer
• decipher