noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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/ˈlaɪf.taɪm/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:L AY1 F T AY2 M
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The duration of the life of someone or something.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
a project that will take many human lifetimes to complete
the operational lifetime of an aircraft component
comes with a lifetime warranty
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: lifespan
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A long period of time.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: excessive, informal
Examples
I've been waiting a lifetime for a train.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: ages, donkey's years, eternity, years, yonks
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
the period during which something is functional (as between birth and death)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the battery had a short life
he lived a long and happy life
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: life, life-time, lifespan
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: time period, period of time, period
Narrower terms: afterlife, hereafter
History
Etymology
From Middle English lyftyme, equivalent to life + time. Cognate with Icelandic líftími (“lifetime”). Compare also Saterland Frisian Lieuwendstied, Dutch leeftijd and levenstijd, German Low German Levenstied, German Lebenszeit, Danish livstid, Swedish livstid.
Across languages
Translations
79 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Azerbaijani:
ömür
— duration of the life of someone or something
Bashkir:
ғүмер
(ğümer)
— duration of the life of someone or something
Catalan:
vida
— duration of the life of someone or something
Chinese Mandarin:
一生
(yīshēng)
— duration of the life of someone or something
Chinese Mandarin:
一輩子 /一辈子
(yībèizi)
— duration of the life of someone or something
Chinese Mandarin:
壽命 /寿命
(shòumìng)
— duration of the life of someone or something
Chinese Mandarin:
畢生 /毕生
(bìshēng)
— duration of the life of someone or something
Chinese Mandarin:
輩子 /辈子
(bèizi)
— duration of the life of someone or something
Czech:
doba života
— duration of the life of someone or something
Czech:
životnost
— duration of the life of someone or something
Dutch:
mensenleven
— duration of the life of someone or something
Dutch:
levensduur
— duration of the life of someone or something
Egyptian:
aHa-a-w-hrw
(ꜥḥꜥw)
— duration of the life of someone or something
Esperanto:
vivodaŭro
— duration of the life of someone or something
Esperanto:
vivdaŭro
— duration of the life of someone or something
Finnish:
elinikä
— duration of the life of someone or something
Finnish:
elinaika
— duration of the life of someone or something
Finnish:
elämän aika
— duration of the life of someone or something
French:
durée de vie
— duration of the life of someone or something
French:
vie
— duration of the life of someone or something
Georgian:
სიცოცხლის ხანგრძლივობა
(sicocxlis xangrʒlivoba)
— duration of the life of someone or something
Georgian:
სიცოცხლის დრო
(sicocxlis dro)
— duration of the life of someone or something
Georgian:
მთელი სიცოცხლე
(mteli sicocxle)
— duration of the life of someone or something
Georgian:
მთელი ცხოვრება
(mteli cxovreba)
— duration of the life of someone or something
German:
Leben
— duration of the life of someone or something
German:
Lebensdauer
— duration of the life of someone or something
German:
Lebenszeit
— duration of the life of someone or something
Greek:
βίος
(víos)
— duration of the life of someone or something
Hindi:
ज़िंदगी
(zindgī)
— duration of the life of someone or something
Hindi:
जिंदगी
(jindgī)
— duration of the life of someone or something
Hindi:
उमर
(umar)
— duration of the life of someone or something
Hindi:
लाइफ
(lāiph)
— duration of the life of someone or something
Hungarian:
élettartam
— duration of the life of someone or something
Indonesian:
seumur hidup
— duration of the life of someone or something
Italian:
durata
— duration of the life of someone or something
Italian:
vita utile
— duration of the life of someone or something
Japanese:
生涯
(shōgai)
— duration of the life of someone or something
Japanese:
一生
(isshō)
— duration of the life of someone or something
Japanese:
一生涯
(isshōgai)
— duration of the life of someone or something
Kapampangan:
kabambie
— duration of the life of someone or something
Latin:
aetas
— duration of the life of someone or something
Malay:
sepanjang hayat
— duration of the life of someone or something
Malay:
semasa hayat
— duration of the life of someone or something
Malay:
seumur hidup
— duration of the life of someone or something
Navajo:
są́ náʼoogą́ą́ʼ
— duration of the life of someone or something
Old Norse:
ævi
— duration of the life of someone or something
Old Norse:
aldr
— duration of the life of someone or something
Plautdietsch:
Läwenstiet
— duration of the life of someone or something
Polish:
życie
— duration of the life of someone or something
Portuguese:
vida
— duration of the life of someone or something
Romanian:
durată de viață
— duration of the life of someone or something
Russian:
продолжи́тельность жи́зни
(prodolžítelʹnostʹ žízni)
— duration of the life of someone or something
Russian:
це́лая жизнь
(célaja žiznʹ)
— duration of the life of someone or something
Russian:
вся жизнь
(vsja žiznʹ)
— duration of the life of someone or something
Russian:
вре́мя жи́зни
(vrémja žízni)
— duration of the life of someone or something
Russian:
срок слу́жбы
(srok slúžby)
— duration of the life of someone or something
Sikkimese:
སྐུ་ཚེ
(sku tshe)
— duration of the life of someone or something
Spanish:
vida
— duration of the life of someone or something
Swedish:
livstid
— duration of the life of someone or something
Tamil:
வாழ்நாள்
(vāḻnāḷ)
— duration of the life of someone or something
Turkish:
ömür
— duration of the life of someone or something
Turkish:
yaşam
— duration of the life of someone or something
Udmurt:
вапум
(vapum)
— duration of the life of someone or something
Ukrainian:
вік
(vik)
— duration of the life of someone or something
Catalan:
eternitat
— informal, hyperbolic: a long period of time
Finnish:
ikuisuus
— informal, hyperbolic: a long period of time
French:
éternité
— informal, hyperbolic: a long period of time
French:
cent sept ans
— informal, hyperbolic: a long period of time
German:
Ewigkeit
— informal, hyperbolic: a long period of time
Hungarian:
örökkévalóság
— informal, hyperbolic: a long period of time
Italian:
una vita
— informal, hyperbolic: a long period of time
Italian:
un'eternità
— informal, hyperbolic: a long period of time
Portuguese:
vida
— informal, hyperbolic: a long period of time
Romanian:
eternitate
— informal, hyperbolic: a long period of time
Russian:
це́лая ве́чность
(célaja véčnostʹ)
— informal, hyperbolic: a long period of time
Spanish:
eternidad
— informal, hyperbolic: a long period of time
Spanish:
toda la vida
— informal, hyperbolic: a long period of time
Swedish:
evighet
— informal, hyperbolic: a long period of time
Tamil:
வாழ்நாள்
(vāḻnāḷ)
— informal, hyperbolic: a long period of time
