life span

American  

noun

• life spans
  plural

1. the longest period over which the life of any organism or species may extend, according to the available biological knowledge concerning it.

2. the longevity of an individual.

---

life span British  

noun

1. the period of time during which a human being, animal, machine, etc, may be expected to live or function under normal conditions

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• life spans
  plural

Etymology

Origin of life span

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

life span

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

At the individual level, you may extract much more or much less than you paid in, depending on accidents such as your life span.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 11, 2026

If you have a better sense of how long you’ll live, you can claim Social Security at the optimal time and adjust your portfolio to match your expected life span.

From Barron's ● May 21, 2026

These burrow-dwelling rats have a maximum life span of nearly 40 years, making them the world's longest-lived rodent.

From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2025

"The crew may have to fix things here and there, but they're well trained. Remember, Hermes was made to do all five Ares missions. It's only halfway through its designed life span."

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir