long-lived

American  

[lawng-lahyvd, -livd, long-] / ˈlɔŋˈlaɪvd, -ˈlɪvd, ˈlɒŋ- /

adjective

1. having a long life, existence, or duration.

   a long-lived man; long-lived fame.

2. (of an object) lasting or functioning a long time.

   a long-lived battery.

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long-lived British  

adjective

1. having long life, existence, or currency

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• long-livedness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of long-lived

late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425; see origin at long ¹, lived

Explanation

Long-lived things have been around for a very long time. By the smell of your couch, you may want to describe it as long-lived. You can describe people who live to be quite old as long-lived: "All the men in my family are remarkably long-lived." It's also a good word for talking about inanimate objects that keep working for a long time, or even ideas that stick around: "His childhood plan to join the circus turned out to be long-lived — it was still his dream at the age of 35."

Example Sentences

It supports the idea that nature's long-lived species may contain biological tools that can be studied, adapted, and possibly used to improve health in other animals.

From Science Daily • May 10, 2026

These animals were part of the multituberculates, a long-lived group that first appeared during the Jurassic Period and persisted for more than 100 million years before eventually going extinct.

From Science Daily • Apr. 27, 2026

Astronaut Jeremy Hansen said the moment should "challenge this generation and the next, to make sure this record is not long-lived."

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

Another factor to consider is that my family tends to be long-lived — I still have a grandparent living independently at age 102.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 27, 2026

But a long-lived fissionable isotope, especially one that could be chemically separated from its uranium grandparent, might be especially suitable for a bomb.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Related Words

• durable
• long-lasting