shelf life

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.

shelf life

noun

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of shelf life¹

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

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

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The material offers a safe, cost-effective way to extend the shelf life of produce, whether or not there's a full moon.

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And Lynch said revenue from AI licenses may have a shelf life.

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Who engages with the content will also give the trend a longer shelf life and a broader reach.

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What’s different about the spread of generational phrases now is how social media can quickly amplify them but also give them a relatively short shelf life.

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