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
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.
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
Technological advances may turn back aging, extending the average life span by at least a decade.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 3, 2025
When Pes and his colleagues first visited Sardinia in the 1990s, they had speculated that the secret to the population’s longevity could be in their DNA—rare gene variants associated with an extended life span.
From Science Magazine • Nov. 20, 2024
Many people believed that the hardships of the expedition had drastically shortened his life span.
From "Death on the River of Doubt" by Samantha Seiple
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.
