life span
Americannoun
-
life spans
plural
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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
Using mom’s life span as a yardstick puts things in perspective.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 3, 2026
Cronus was roughly 11 years old when he died, which is around the average life span of a male tarantula, according to experts at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital.
From BBC ● May 22, 2026
They’re pretty to look at, but they have a limited life span.
From Barron's ● Dec. 17, 2025
Dunbar was working so hard at increasing his life span that Yossarian thought he was dead.
From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller
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.
