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

Seth, should investors in more-traditional types of energy become more flexible about alternative-energy investments, understanding that there is a shelf life in oil and gas?

From Barron's • May 15, 2026

While this refining process improves shelf life and taste consistency, it also reduces beneficial components such as antioxidants, polyphenols, vitamins and other bioactive substances.

From Science Daily • Apr. 18, 2026

A policy argument has a limited shelf life; a devotional or memoir can sell indefinitely.

From Salon • Apr. 18, 2026

That led to a fundraising campaign raising money for charity - but with a shorter shelf life, the Orkney banana glut required a swifter solution.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

Some had cases of “survival crackers”—bulgur wheat blocks with an estimated shelf life of three thousand years.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin