expiration

[ek-spuh-rey-shuhn]

noun

1. a coming to an end; termination; close.

   the expiration of a contract.

2. the act of expiring, or breathing out; emission of air from the lungs.

3. Archaic.,  death.

expiration

/ ˌɛkspɪˈreɪʃən /

noun

1. the finish of something; ending; expiry

2. the act, process, or sound of breathing out

3. rare,  a last breath; death

expiration

1. See exhalation

Other Word Forms

• nonexpiration noun
• preexpiration noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of expiration¹

1375–1425; late Middle English expiracioun < Latin expīrātiōn- (stem of expīrātiō ), equivalent to expīrāt ( us ) (past participle of ex ( s ) pīrāre to expire ) + -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

Sales of new cars and parts, meanwhile, fell 0.3% in September even though dealers reported an increase in sales tied to the expiration of electric-vehicle tax breaks.

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That looming expiration has weighed on insurance stocks this year.

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The yogurt analogy is perfect, except you’re assuming the expiration date on the container is accurate.

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For Big Pharma, the triumph of developing a new lifesaving blockbuster drug that generates billions in revenue is inevitably followed by the reality that drug patents have an expiration date.

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California requires driver’s licenses and work permits to have the same expiration dates, officials said.

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Related Words

• expiry 
• termination