life span — the length of time for which a person or organism lives or a thing functions
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: the length of time for which a person or organism lives or a thing functions
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈlaɪf spæn/
Example Sentences
- My phone's life span was shorter than a Hollywood marriage - it died after just two years!
- Scientists are studying ways to increase the life span of electric car batteries.
- The life span of a mayfly is so short, it makes a student's attention span look impressive!
life span
NOUN[/ˈlaɪf spæn/]
the length of time for which a person or organism lives or a thing functions
A giant sequoia's life span stretches across two thousand years of forest history.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Life span combines Old English 'life' (living existence) with 'span' (originally denoting the distance spanned by outstretched fingers). The term evolved to mean the duration of a living creature's existence, as 'span' came to apply metaphorically to temporal intervals rather than merely physical distances.
Breakdown
life (Old English lif, meaning living existence or lifetime) + span (Old English spann, originally the distance between outstretched thumb and finger, later generalized to any measured distance or duration).
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My phone's life span was shorter than a Hollywood marriage - it died after just two years!”
“Scientists are studying ways to increase the life span of electric car batteries.”
“The life span of a mayfly is so short, it makes a student's attention span look impressive!”
“Proper maintenance can significantly extend the life span of your computer.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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