longevity
Americannoun
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a long individual life; great duration of individual life.
Our family is known for its longevity.
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the length or duration of life.
research in human longevity.
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length of service, tenure, etc.; seniority.
promotions based on longevity.
noun
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long life
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relatively long duration of employment, service, etc
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of longevity
From the Latin word longaevitās, dating back to 1605–15. See longevous, -ity
Explanation
Something with longevity has the ability to last for a long time. While tortoises are not known for their quickness, their longevity is amazing. Just ask the Hare. At the root of longevity is the word long. So when you see longevity, think “a long time." In fact, this word has some serious longevity, since it's been around since the 1600s. Longevity is most commonly used to describe the length of one’s lifetime, but it can also mean a long duration, such as one’s longevity working for a certain company for an extended period of time.
Vocabulary lists containing longevity
100 Top "SAT" Words
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List 1
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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I've Been to the Mountaintop" (1968)
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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.
A study earlier this year suggests that less of our longevity is under our control than previously thought.
From Barron's • May 21, 2026
The two leaders, both in their early 70s, have also connected over the issue of longevity.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026
And to me, that was longevity, that was intelligence, that was friendships and being the kind of person I wanted to be.
From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026
Many observers have said that, for the market to really crack, investors must seriously start doubting the longevity and intensity of the AI trade.
From MarketWatch • May 18, 2026
In fact, any health practice, such as milk drinking, which correlates positively with longevity will probably do the same with cancer incidence.
From "Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and Its Consequences" by John Allen Paulos
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.
