lifestyle

American  

[lahyf-stahyl] / ˈlaɪfˌstaɪl /

Or life style,

noun

1. the habits, attitudes, tastes, moral standards, economic level, etc., that together constitute the mode of living of an individual or group.

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adjective

1. pertaining to or catering to a certain lifestyle.

   unhealthy lifestyle choices; lifestyle advertising; a luxury lifestyle hotel.

2. (of a drug) used to treat a medical condition that is not life-threatening or painful.

   lifestyle drugs for baldness.

lifestyle British  

/ ˈlaɪfˌstaɪl /

noun

1. a set of attitudes, habits, or possessions associated with a particular person or group

2. such attitudes, etc, regarded as fashionable or desirable

3. 1. a luxurious semirural manner of living

   2. ( as modifier )

      a lifestyle property

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adjective

1. suggestive of a fashionable or desirable lifestyle

   a lifestyle café

2. (of a drug) designed to treat problems, such as impotence or excess weight, which affect a person's quality of life rather than his or her health

Etymology

Origin of lifestyle

First recorded in 1925–30; life + style

Explanation

Your lifestyle is how you live, and it reflects who you are. You might try to look cool by adopting a rock star lifestyle of partying every night and sleeping all day, but you'd probably get pretty tired. A lifestyle can also reflect your attitude or your personal values. For example, you might have a very conservative lifestyle, which means you don't spend money on anything trivial or unnecessary, and you don't engage in silly activities. A glamorous lifestyle means you indulge in upscale, high-profile pursuits and live luxuriously. If you've got some bad habits, your doctor might encourage you to adopt a healthier lifestyle, and get more exercise and eat more carefully.

Example Sentences

Participants viewed individuals who regained weight more negatively than those who lost weight and maintained it, regardless of whether the weight loss came from medication or lifestyle changes.

From Science Daily • May 5, 2026

After all, if a college degree is no longer a sure path to a comfortable middle-class lifestyle, high school diplomas are worth even less.

From Salon • May 4, 2026

"There are also now expectations of lifestyle choices in every aspect of our life," she says, "including the ability to craft our own dying."

From BBC • May 2, 2026

“The general retail environment is currently very volatile and heavily discounted in many markets, especially in lifestyle footwear,” Chief Executive Bjorn Gulden said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026

And yet the heat that springs from the constant danger, from a lifestyle of near-death experience, is thrilling.

From "Between the World and Me" by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Related Words

• behavior