Dictionary.com
definitions

life span

|
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR life span ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

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.

RELATED WORDS

senescence, senility, generation, dotage, lifetime, oldness, caducity

Nearby words

  1. life science,
  2. life sentence,
  3. life signs,
  4. life skill,
  5. life space,
  6. life stress,
  7. life support,
  8. life table,
  9. life vest,
  10. life zone

Origin of life span

First recorded in 1915–20
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for lifespan

British Dictionary definitions for lifespan

life span

noun

the period of time during which a human being, animal, machine, etc, may be expected to live or function under normal conditions
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for lifespan

lifespan

n.

also life span, 1918, from life (n.) + span (n.1).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Medicine definitions for lifespan

life span

n.

A lifetime.
The average or maximum length of time an organism, a material, or an object can be expected to survive or last.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.