lifespan

noun

life·​span ˈlīf-ˌspan 

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

Synonyms of lifespan

• duration
• life
• lifetime
• time

Examples of lifespan in a Sentence

the average lifespan of house cats

increase the human lifespan

Recent Examples on the Web

That run accounts for roughly a quarter of the project’s lifespan, as Meteora was released in 2003 and is more than 20 years old at this point. — Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026

But most of the attempts to scale sodium-ion cells stumbled over short lifespans and poor heat tolerance. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026

On the sidewalk in front of her family apartment building in the Leopoldstadt neighborhood, the families of her adult grandchildren have placed a Stone of Remembrance, a brass plaque providing her lifespan and site of death. — David Pollak, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026

Viral sit-to-stand and other mobility tests measure strength, balance, fall risk; helpful clues on how the body is aging but not definitive predictions of lifespan. — Devi Shastri, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1831, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for lifespan

• businessman
• canavan
• caravan
• constantan
• dragoman
• fisherman
• handyman
• harmattan
• journeyman
• marianne
• middleman
• minivan

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

lifespan

noun

ˈlīf-ˌspan 

variants also life span

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