Lifespan

Lifespan

Noun · /ˈlaɪf.spæn/

Definition

The length of time for which a person, animal, or thing lives or is expected to last; the duration of existence.

Origin

From life (Old English lif) + span (from Old English spann — a hand's breadth, a measure of distance; later extended to mean a period of time). Life-span as a compound appears in English from the 19th century. The earlier life expectancy expressed the same concept through expectation and statistics rather than through the idea of a measured duration.