lifer

American  

[lahy-fer] / ˈlaɪ fər /

noun

Slang.

1. a person sentenced to or serving a term of life imprisonment.

2. a person committed to a professional lifetime career in the military.

3. a person who has devoted a lifetime to a profession, occupation, or pursuit.

4. (in birding)

   1. Also called life bird.  a species of bird not seen previously and that will therefore be added to the bird watcher's life list.

   2. the sighting of a bird of a previously unseen species.

      It seems like forever since I've had a lifer!

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lifer British  

/ ˈlaɪfə /

noun

1. informal a prisoner sentenced to life imprisonment

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Etymology

Origin of lifer

First recorded in 1820–30; life + -er ¹

Example Sentences

Almost immediately after his arrival, IBM lifers began wearing colorful dress shirts—and watching their backs.

From The Wall Street Journal

Suddenly, this golden-retriever lifer began to fall for a sweet little thing as cuddly as a broom.

From The Wall Street Journal

An Apple lifer, Cue has been with the company since the late 1980s and has long overseen the division of the company that may be the most successful during the Tim Cook era: services.

From The Wall Street Journal

He will be succeeded by John Furner, a Walmart lifer who worked his way up from the shop floor and now serves as head of the company's US business.

From BBC

“I’ve been seeing this for months and enough was enough — I had to join,” said the Little Village lifer.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• convict
• delinquent
• lawbreaker
• offender