# lifetime

Pronunciation: say "LYF-tym" /ˈlaɪftaɪm/

## Noun

1. The full span of time during which a person, animal, or object lives or remains in existence.
   - Simple: The whole time that a person, animal, or thing is alive or lasts.
   - _She devoted her entire lifetime to studying coral reefs._
   - _The average lifetime of these batteries is about five years._
2. A very long period of time, far longer than usual or comfortable. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: A very long stretch of time that seems to go on and on.
   - _The two-hour delay at the airport felt like a lifetime._
   - _He waited what seemed like a lifetime for her reply._

## Origin

From Middle English lyftyme, equivalent to "life" plus "time." It is cognate with Icelandic líftími, and can be compared with Dutch leeftijd, German Lebenszeit, and Swedish livstid.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/lifetime (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).