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
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
One life span of 92 years before her birth, Abraham Lincoln married Mary Todd and Francisco Lopez made the first documented discovery of gold in California.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 3, 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 world's the longest-lived rodent.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2025
He himself had been enmagicked as a young boy, and he knew the consequences of the action—the odd eruptions, the disruptions in thinking, the unpleasant extension of the life span.
From "The Girl Who Drank the Moon" by Kelly Barnhill
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.
