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nonlife

American  
[non-lahyf] / nɒnˈlaɪf /

noun

  1. lack or absence of life.


Etymology

Origin of nonlife

First recorded in 1725–35; non- + life

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.

See Examples For:

The Swiss insurer reported an 8% increase in like-for-like in gross written premiums in its nonlife segment, ahead of Berenberg’s estimate of a 6% rise.

From The Wall Street Journal May 14, 2026

"The method captured not only the distinction between life and nonlife, but also degrees of preservation and alteration."

From Science Daily May 12, 2026

Moreover Cleland argues that it’s always possible to come up with an abstraction of life so coarse that it inadvertently includes some examples of nonlife.

From Scientific American Apr. 6, 2023

Two officers were transported to a hospital where they also were treated for nonlife threatening injuries, police said.

From Washington Post Oct. 23, 2021

They carry on their existence in the borderlands between life and nonlife.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston

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