shelf life

American  

noun

1. the term or period during which a stored commodity remains effective, useful, or suitable for consumption.

   Many medicines have a very short shelf life.

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shelf life British  

noun

1. the length of time a packaged food, chemical, etc, will last without deteriorating

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Etymology

Origin of shelf life

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

shelf life

Blood has a shelf life of 35 days, so stocks need constant replenishing.

From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026

They are typically made with refined fats, oils, sugars, starches, salts, and other additives designed to improve flavor, texture, and shelf life, often while lowering nutritional quality.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 27, 2026

Fraud, a greater value placed on insider knowledge, and a longer shelf life for bad corporate strategy would be “bogies of the slower reporting cycle,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026

Original topical programming that does not have a shelf life is challenging to sustain on a streaming service.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026

My skin and bones will not age—my Bio Gel will simply reach the end of its shelf life and cease to operate.

From "The Adoration of Jenna Fox" by Mary E. Pearson