life span
Americannoun
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the longest period over which the life of any organism or species may extend, according to the available biological knowledge concerning it.
-
the longevity of an individual.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of life span
First recorded in 1915–20
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.
Subsequent research has connected it to improved insulin sensitivity, cardiovascular protection, longer life span, and the preservation of cognitive function.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 18, 2026
Go back one more life span and it’s 1732, the year George Washington was born.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 3, 2026
They’re pretty to look at, but they have a limited life span.
From Barron's ● Dec. 17, 2025
These burrow-dwelling rats have a maximum life span of nearly 40 years, making them world's the longest-lived rodent.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2025
For twenty years, over the entire life span of the revolutionary war and the experiment with republican government, Washington had stood at the helm of the ship of state.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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.
