adjective
Other Word Forms
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Researchers will continue monitoring Saturn to see whether the southern decagon becomes a stable, long-lived feature like the northern hexagon or keeps changing.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 3, 2026
Here’s a brief compendium of some of those appearances, forgotten or well-remembered, in series short- or long-lived.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026
Garden designer Ann-Marie Powell created test beds of long-lived plants happy in high temperatures, including Siskiyou Pink plants, native to the southern United States.
From Barron's ● Aug. 25, 2026
My wife’s female relatives, however, have generally been quite long-lived, often living into their 90s while retaining clear minds.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026
But I said to myself: “After all he comes of a long-lived family on his mother’s side. There is time yet. Wait!”
From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
