life cycle

American  

noun

1. Biology. the continuous sequence of changes undergone by an organism from one primary form, as a gamete, to the development of the same form again.

2. a series of stages, as childhood and middle age, that characterize the course of existence of an individual, group, or culture.

3. any similar series of stages.

   the life cycle of a manufactured product.

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life cycle British  

noun

1. the series of changes occurring in an animal or plant between one development stage and the identical stage in the next generation

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life cycle Scientific  

1. The series of changes in the growth and development of an organism from its beginning as an independent life form to its mature state in which offspring are produced. In simple organisms, such as bacteria, the life cycle begins when an organism is produced by fission and ends when that organism in turn divides into two new ones. In organisms that reproduce sexually, the life cycle may be thought of as beginning with the fusion of reproductive cells to form a new organism. The cycle ends when that organism produces its own reproductive cells, which then begin the cycle again by undergoing fusion with other reproductive cells. The life cycles of plants, algae, and many protists often involve an alternation between a generation of organisms that reproduces sexually and another that reproduces asexually.

2. See more at alternation of generations

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Etymology

Origin of life cycle

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

That has hurt sales of original, patented brands much sooner in their product life cycles than the more traditional source of low-cost competition, generic drugs that enter the market after patents expire.

From The Wall Street Journal

"Because they occupy nearshore and shelf waters of the Gulf Coast and western North Atlantic -- areas with intense human activity -- they are frequently exposed to overlapping stressors throughout much of their life cycle."

From Science Daily

Bat considered telling Mr. Grayson about the life cycle of the monarch butterfly, but the teacher was busy unlacing his orange high-tops and getting ready to lead the group in yoga.

From Literature

Finding more cases like this could help clarify how common these powerful interactions are, and how strongly they shape the life cycles of galaxies like our own.

From Science Daily

Although plastics offer clear benefits, the authors warn that "their environmental footprint across the entire life cycle has become a growing concern. These plastics, being highly persistent, have become a pressing global environmental challenge."

From Science Daily

Related Words

• biological clock