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

Yet medicine tends to frame conditions affecting the brain across the lifespan, from autism and ADHD to Alzheimer’s disease, as primarily genetic or social in origin. — Holly Baines, STAT, 14 Oct. 2026

If that is the case, this diagnosis may not impact his lifespan. — Brittney Melton, NPR, 14 Oct. 2026

At a time of high infant mortality and short lifespans, the specter of early death hangs over them as friends and family members die with great and sudden frequency. — Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026

The study, which analyzed nearly 800,000 individuals across their lifespan, found that clinical obesity rates climbed through adulthood. — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 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