Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *leyp-
Proto-Germanic *lībanąder.
Proto-Germanic *lībą
Proto-West Germanic *līb
Old English līf
Middle English lyf
English life
From Middle English lyf, from Old English līf, from Proto-West Germanic *līb, from Proto-Germanic *lībą (“life, body”), from *lībaną (“to remain, stay, be left”), from Proto-Indo-European *leyp- (“to stick, glue”).
Cognate with Scots life, leif (“life”), Saterland Frisian Lieuw (“body”), West Frisian liif (“body”), Cimbrian laip (“body”), Dutch lijf (“body”) and leven (“life”), German Leib (“body; womb”) and Leben (“life”), Low German Lief (“body; life”), Luxembourgish Leif, Läif (“body”), Vilamovian łaowa (“life”), Yiddish לײַב (layb, “body”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish liv (“life; waist”), Faroese lív (“life”), Icelandic líf (“life”). Related to belive.
The sense "biography" is likely a semantic loan from Medieval Latin vīta (“biography; hagiography”).
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *leyp-
Proto-Germanic *lībanąder.
Proto-Germanic *lībą
Proto-West Germanic *līb
Old English līf
Middle English lyf
English life
From Middle English lyf, from Old English līf, from Proto-West Germanic *līb, from Proto-Germanic *lībą (“life, body”), from *lībaną (“to remain, stay, be left”), from Proto-Indo-European *leyp- (“to stick, glue”).
Cognate with Scots life, leif (“life”), Saterland Frisian Lieuw (“body”), West Frisian liif (“body”), Cimbrian laip (“body”), Dutch lijf (“body”) and leven (“life”), German Leib (“body; womb”) and Leben (“life”), Low German Lief (“body; life”), Luxembourgish Leif, Läif (“body”), Vilamovian łaowa (“life”), Yiddish לײַב (layb, “body”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish liv (“life; waist”), Faroese lív (“life”), Icelandic líf (“life”). Related to belive.
The sense "biography" is likely a semantic loan from Medieval Latin vīta (“biography; hagiography”).
Meanings
(uncountable, usually) The state of organisms preceding their death, characterized by biological processes such as metabolism and reproduction and distinguishing them from inanimate objects; the state of being alive and living.
I want my kids to live a good life. He gave up on life.
My bloodleſſe bodie waxeth chill and colde,
And with my blood my life ſlides through my wound,
My ſoule begins to take her flight to hell,
And ſummones all my ſences to depart: […] c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act II, scene vii:
(uncountable, usually) The state of organisms preceding their death, characterized by biological processes such as metabolism and reproduction and distinguishing them from inanimate objects; the state of being alive and living. ▸ The status possessed by any of a number of entities, including animals, plants, fungi, bacteria, and sometimes viruses, which have the properties of replication and metabolism.
(uncountable, usually) The animating principle or force that keeps an inorganic thing or concept metaphorically alive (dynamic, relevant, etc) and makes it a “living document”, “living constitution”, etc.
The life of the law has not been logic; it has been experience. 1881, Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., The Common Law:
(uncountable, usually) Lifeforms, generally or collectively.
It's life, but not as we know it. She discovered plant life on the planet. The rover discovered signs of life on the alien world.
(countable, usually) A living being; the fact of a particular individual being alive. (Chiefly when indicating individuals were lost (died) or saved.)
One of the hidden glories of Victorian engineering is proper drains. Isolating a city’s effluent and shipping it away in underground sewers has probably saved more lives than any medical procedure except vaccination. 2014 June 14, “It's a gas”, in The Economist, volume 411, number 8891:
Many lives were lost during the war. Her quick thinking saved many dogs' lives.
After taking one life, Hurricane Gloria relented and swept northward, leaving wrecked buildings, piers, boats. 1987 October, Charles E. Cobb, Jr., “North Carolina's Outer Banks”, in National Geographic, volume 172, number 4, page 490:
(uncountable, usually) Existence.
Most things in life, including life itself, seemed to have articulated sections, discrete and separate and straightforward. 1994, Robert Ferro, Violet Quill:
Man's life on this planet has been marked by continual conflict.
Life is meaningless and we are all going to die.
But poverty’s scourge is fiercest below $1.25 (the average of the 15 poorest countries’ own poverty lines, measured in 2005 dollars and adjusted for differences in purchasing power): people below that level live lives that are poor, nasty, brutish and short. 2013 June 1, “Towards the end of poverty”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8838, page 11:
"[…]I realize as never before how cheap and valueless a thing is life. Life seems a joke, a cruel, grim joke. You are a laughable incident or a terrifying one as you happen to be less powerful or more powerful than some other form of life which crosses your path; but as a rule you are of no moment whatsoever to anything but yourself. You are a comic little figure, hopping from the cradle to the grave. Yes, that is our trouble—we take ourselves too seriously; but Caprona should be a sure cure for that." She paused and laughed. 1918 September–November, Edgar Rice Burroughs, “The Land That Time Forgot”, in The Blue Book Magazine, Chicago, Ill.: Story-press Corp., →OCLC; republished as chapter VI, in Hugo Gernsback, editor, Amazing Stories, (please specify |part=I to III), New York, N.Y.: Experimenter Publishing, 1927, →OCLC:
the eternal life of the soul
(uncountable, usually) Existence. ▸ A worthwhile existence.
He gets up early in the morning, works all day long — even on weekends — and hardly sees his family. That's no life! His life was ruined by drugs.
(uncountable, usually) Existence. ▸ A particular aspect of existence.
He struggled to balance his family life, social life and work life.
sex life
political life
(informal, uncountable, usually) Existence. ▸ Social life.
Get a life.
It is never possible to settle down to the ordinary routine of life at sea until the screw begins to revolve. There is an hour or two, after the passengers have embarked, which is disquieting and fussy. 1915, G[eorge] A. Birmingham [pseudonym; James Owen Hannay], chapter I, in Gossamer, New York, N.Y.: George H. Doran Company, →OCLC, page 01:
(uncountable, usually) Existence. ▸ Something which is inherently part of a person's existence, such as job, family, a loved one, etc.
She's my love, my life. Running the bakery is her life.
(uncountable, usually) A period of time during which something has existence. ▸ The period during which one (a person, an animal, a plant; a civilization, species; a star; etc) is alive.
"Life is pain," his mother said. "Anybody that says different is selling something." 1973, William Goldman, The Princess Bride, page 60:
Life was something you dominated if you were any good. Life yielded easily to intelligence and effort, or to what proportion could be mustered of both. 1936 Feb., F. Scott Fitzgerald, "The Crack-Up", Esquire
“My Continental prominence is improving,” I commented dryly.
Von Lindowe cut at a furze bush with his silver-mounted rattan.
“Quite so,” he said as dryly, his hand at his mustache. “I may say if your intentions were known your life would not be worth a curse.” 1908, W[illiam] B[lair] M[orton] Ferguson, chapter IV, in Zollenstein, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC:
(uncountable, usually) A period of time during which something has existence. ▸ The span of time during which an object operates.
Even if the bill's life is brief, the member who introduced it can still campaign as its champion. 2016, Christine Barbour, Gerald C. Wright, Keeping the Republic, →ISBN:
This light bulb is designed to have a life of 2,000 hours.
(uncountable, usually) A period of time during which something has existence. ▸ The period of time during which an object is recognizable.
The life of this milk carton may be thousands of years in this landfill.
(uncountable, usually) A period of time during which something has existence. ▸ A particular phase or period of existence.
This would require that reproductive cells do not exist early on but rather are produced during the organism's adult life from the gemules sent from the various organs. 2011, Ehud Lamm, Ron Unger, Biological Computation, →ISBN, page 90:
(uncountable, usually) A period of time during which something has existence. ▸ A period extending from a when a (positive or negative) office, punishment, etc is conferred on someone until that person dies (or, sometimes, reaches retirement age).
As a general rule the judges of the administrative courts are appointed for life, i.e., they continue in their office till the completion of sixty-eight years in the Federal Administrative Court[.] 2013, Mahendra P. Singh, German Administrative Law, →ISBN, page 108:
Typically, an appointed judge is appointed for life. 2001, Cynthia L. Cates, Wayne V. McIntosh, Law and the Web of Society, →ISBN, page 73:
(colloquial, uncountable, usually) A period of time during which something has existence. ▸ A period extending from a when a (positive or negative) office, punishment, etc is conferred on someone until that person dies (or, sometimes, reaches retirement age). ▸ A life sentence; a period of imprisonment that lasts until the convict's death (or, sometimes, parole).
No notion of life and fire in fancy and in words. 1711, Henry Felton, Dissertation on Reading the Classics:
That gives thy gestures grace and life. 1807, William Wordsworth, To A Highland Girl:
(uncountable, usually) Animation; spirit; vivacity. ▸ The most lively component or participant.
"Don't I know that it is you who is the life of this house. Two delightful children!" 1970, Mathuram Bhoothalingam, The finger on the lute: the story of Mahakavi Subramania Bharati, National Council of Educational Research and Training, p.87
And he is the life of the party at the Musgroves for precisely this reason: the navy has made him into a great storyteller. 1998, Monica F. Cohen, Professional domesticity in the Victorian novel: Women, work and home, Cambridge University Press, page 32:
(uncountable, usually) A biography.
Writers of particular lives[…]are apt to be prejudiced in favour of their subject. 1741, Conyers Middleton, Life of Cicero:
His life of the founder is finished, except for the title.
(uncountable, usually) Nature, reality, and the forms that exist in it.
The experts also agree that the bushmen only painted from life. This belief is borne out by the other Gorozamzi Hills cave paintings, which represent elephants, hippos, deer, and giraffe. 2010, Brad Steiger, Real Monsters, Gruesome Critters, and Beasts from the Darkside, →ISBN:
The stories did not seem to me to touch life. They were plainly intended to have a bracing moral effect, and perhaps had this result for the people at whom they were aimed. They left me with the impression of a well-delivered stereopticon lecture, with characters about as life-like as the shadows on the screen, and whisking on and off, at the mercy of the operator. 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter I, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
(uncountable, usually) An opportunity for existence.
The photo book represented my promise to her—a new life—and she desperately clung to that promise. 2012, Cindy Champnella, The 12 Gifts of Life, →ISBN:
(uncountable, usually) An opportunity for existence. ▸ One of the player's chances to play, lost when the player's character dies or when certain mistakes are made.
Spend the time killing things and there's a bonus for each hit - but only for fatalities notched up since the start of your current life. 1988, David Powell, Rygar (video game review) in Your Sinclair issue 25
Scoring 1000 points is rewarded with an extra life.
(uncountable, usually) An opportunity for existence. ▸ A chance for the batter (or batting team) to bat again, given as a result of a misplay by a member of the fielding team.
Borda sent a hot liner to G. Kugler, who made a nifty pick-up, but threw wild at first, giving the batter a life. 1915 June 24, “Philadelphians on the Diamond”, in The New York Lumber Trade Journal, volume 59, page 42:
But shortstop Tenney, on what should have been the game's last out, gave a First Team batter a life on first, when he let a ground ball slip between his legs. 1930 May, Boys' Life, page 49:
(uncountable, usually) An opportunity for existence. ▸ One of a player's chances to play in various children's playground games, lost when a mistake is made, for example being struck by the ball in dodgeball.
(uncountable, usually) The life insurance industry.
I work in life.
(countable, usually) A life assured under a life assurance policy (equivalent to the policy itself for a single life contract).
He renewed two lives which had dropped. 1862, Ellen Wood, The Channings:
Forms
Spelling
Features
Labels
Source
lives
Number=Plur
lexicographic
lyfe
alternative, obsolete
lexicographic
Antonyms
coma (antonym(s) of “biology”) · void (antonym(s) of “philosophy”) · death (antonym(s) of “the state that precedes death”)
Coordinates
pensions (insurance industry) · health (insurance industry) · general (insurance industry)
fi elämä (the world in general, existence) · hi हयात (the state of being alive) · nah yōliztli (the state of being alive) · lo ຊີວິດ (the state of being alive) · et elu (something inherently part of a person's existence) · es duración de la vida (duration) · kbd гъащӏэ (the state of being alive) · zh 生命 (the state of being alive) · kw bownans (the state of being alive) · et eluaeg (duration) · arc חַיַּיָּא (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · lez уьмуьр (the state of being alive) · nds Liäwen (the state of being alive) · za mingh (the state of being alive) · bn জীবন (the state of being alive) · rom ʒivibo (the state of being alive) · mhn lem (the state of being alive) · mg fahavelomana (the state of being alive) · sw uhai (the state of being alive) · ja 終身刑 (life sentence) · nap vita (the state of being alive) · jv nyawa (the state of being alive) · bo ཚེ་སྲོག (the state of being alive) · ti ሂወት (the state of being alive) · ru житие́ (the subjective and inner manifestation of the individual) · tpi laip (the state of being alive) · da liv (the subjective and inner manifestation of the individual) · pam pamibie (the subjective and inner manifestation of the individual) · apw ʼihiʼda (the state of being alive) · lez ччан (the state of being alive) · eu bizi (the state of being alive) · hop qatsi (the subjective and inner manifestation of the individual) · pt vida (the subjective and inner manifestation of the individual) · pap bida (the state of being alive) · bh जीवन (the state of being alive) · ml കാലാവധി (duration) · sw uhai (something inherently part of a person's existence) · sc bida (the state of being alive) · fa زِنْدِگی (something inherently part of a person's existence) · et eluaegne (life sentence) · nb liv (a worthwhile existence) · ms nyawa (the state of being alive) · pam kabienan (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · hu élet (the state of being alive) · ts vutomi (the state of being alive) · fa زِنْدِگی (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · tr hayat (the state of being alive) · alt јӱрӱм (the state of being alive) · sh жѝвот (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · mnc ᠰᡠᡵᡝ ᡶᠠᠶᠠᠩᡤᠠ (the state of being alive) · ml ജീവൻ (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · ilo biag (the state of being alive) · ga beatha (the state of being alive) · de Leben (something inherently part of a person's existence) · la vita (a worthwhile existence) · fr vie (a worthwhile existence) · si ජීවිතය (the state of being alive) · cop ⲱⲛϩ (the state of being alive) · ht lavi (the state of being alive) · wal de'uwa (the state of being alive) · nb livstid (life sentence) · el βίος (duration) · uz hayot (the state of being alive) · jv urip (the state of being alive) · arc חיא (the state of being alive) · et elu (the world in general, existence) · bg съществу́ване (the world in general, existence) · haw ola (the world in general, existence) · es vida (the world in general, existence) · eo vivo (the subjective and inner manifestation of the individual) · da liv (the state of being alive) · fur vite (the state of being alive) · da livstid (life sentence) · ru житие́ (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · de Leben (duration) · mk животен век (duration) · el ζωή (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · ga saol (the state of being alive) · ig ndụ (the state of being alive) · vro elo (the state of being alive) · grc ψῡχή (the state of being alive) · da liv (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · et hing (the subjective and inner manifestation of the individual) · la vita (the world in general, existence) · kn ಜೀವ (the state of being alive) · da levetid (duration) · nds Lȩben (the state of being alive) · mnc ᠪᠠᠨᠵᡳᠨ (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · fo lív (the state of being alive) · ee agbe (the state of being alive) · sw maisha (the state of being alive) · grc ζωή (the state of being alive) · sa जीवन (the state of being alive) · ln bomoi (the state of being alive) · li laeve (the state of being alive) · ru дни (a worthwhile existence) · zza zıwayış (a worthwhile existence) · ae 𐬔𐬀𐬌𐬌𐬊 (the state of being alive) · nds Lewen (the state of being alive) · mk живот (the subjective and inner manifestation of the individual) · nl levenslang (life sentence) · kmr jiyan (the state of being alive) · ady щыӏэныгъ (the state of being alive) · aho 𑜋𑜄𑜫 (the state of being alive) · ps حيات (the state of being alive) · wa veye (the state of being alive) · mid ࡄࡉࡉࡀ (the state of being alive) · fa دُوْرِه (duration) · hy կյանք (the state of being alive) · it durata della vita (duration) · nds Lewend (the state of being alive) · cu животъ (the state of being alive) · ps ژوند (the state of being alive) · hi ज़िन्दगी (a worthwhile existence) · lv mūžs (the state of being alive) · cdo 生命 (the state of being alive) · io vivo (the state of being alive) · is fjör (the state of being alive) · hi उमर (life sentence) · am ህይወት (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · haw nohona (a worthwhile existence) · de lebenslänglich (life sentence) · am ህይወት (the world in general, existence) · it vita (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · cu жизнь (the state of being alive) · dv ޙަޔާތު (the state of being alive) · sw uhai (the subjective and inner manifestation of the individual) · eo vivo (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · cdo 生活 (the state of being alive) · ro viață (the subjective and inner manifestation of the individual) · sh žìvot (the subjective and inner manifestation of the individual) · mn амьдрал (the state of being alive) · is ævi (the state of being alive) · ia vita (the state of being alive) · rom trajo (the state of being alive) · uz umr (the state of being alive) · sk život (the state of being alive) · id nyawa (one of the player's chances to play) · ro durată (duration) · ckb ژین (the state of being alive) · de Läbe (the state of being alive) · km ជីព (the state of being alive) · ar حياة (the state of being alive) · tk ömür (the state of being alive) · mk живот (the state of being alive) · ay jaka (the state of being alive) · ovd laiv (the state of being alive) · haw ola (the state of being alive) · sv levnad (the state of being alive) · id hidup (duration) · ny moyo (the state of being alive) · el ζωή (the state of being alive) · ja 存在 (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · sa आयु (the state of being alive) · fj bula (the state of being alive) · sl doživljenjska (life sentence) · ja 人生 (a worthwhile existence) · war kinabuhi (the subjective and inner manifestation of the individual) · el ζωή (the world in general, existence) · he חַיִּים (the subjective and inner manifestation of the individual) · az can (the state of being alive) · lus nunna (the state of being alive) · cs život (the state of being alive) · vi cuộc sống (the state of being alive) · pt duração (duration) · ams 命 (the state of being alive) · cu житьѥ (the state of being alive) · ko 생활 (the state of being alive) · ru пожи́зненный срок (life sentence) · sw uhai (the essence of God) · eo vivo (one of the player's chances to play) · cv пурнӑҫ (the state of being alive) · fi elämä (the state of being alive) · nci yōliliztli (the state of being alive) · az yaşam (the state of being alive) · rw ubuzima (the state of being alive) · hsb žiwjenje (the state of being alive) · bg живо́т (the subjective and inner manifestation of the individual) · ca vida (life sentence) · se eallin (the state of being alive) · tk ýaşaýyş (the state of being alive) · ru житие́ (duration) · tt тормыш (the state of being alive) · sv liv (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · sux 𒍣 (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · ru житие́ (the essence of God) · nio нилу (the state of being alive) · dlm vaita (the state of being alive) · pam bie (duration) · my အသက် (the state of being alive) · ml ജീവൻ (the subjective and inner manifestation of the individual) · bcl buhay (the state of being alive) · tt тереклек (the state of being alive) · sce amin (the state of being alive) · kw bêwnans (the state of being alive) · ca vida (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · war kinabuhi (the state of being alive) · rif tudart (the state of being alive) · haw ola (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · hrx Leve (the state of being alive) · da liv (a worthwhile existence) · fa زِنْدِه (the state of being alive) · zh вумур (the state of being alive) · hi ज़िंदगी (a worthwhile existence) · haw ola (a worthwhile existence) · de Leben (the world in general, existence) · eu bizitza (the state of being alive) · tg ҳаёт (the state of being alive) · sh жѝвот (the state of being alive) · os цард (the state of being alive) · hak 生活 (the state of being alive) · hi जीवन (the state of being alive) · te జీవము (the state of being alive) · co vita (the state of being alive) · chk manau (the state of being alive) · vec vita (the state of being alive) · kk өмір (the state of being alive) · kw bôwnans (the state of being alive) · ru житие́ (the world in general, existence) · hy կյանք (the subjective and inner manifestation of the individual) · sv livstid (life sentence) · fa حَیات (the state of being alive) · la vita (the subjective and inner manifestation of the individual) · ota یاشام (the state of being alive) · ka სიცოცხლე (the state of being alive) · tet vida (the state of being alive) · sl življenje (the state of being alive) · km ជន្មា (the state of being alive) · rue жыво́т (the state of being alive) · nah yolistli (the state of being alive) · sh žìvot (the state of being alive) · ko 생명 (the state of being alive) · cs život (the subjective and inner manifestation of the individual) · tg зиндагӣ (the state of being alive) · as পৰাণ (the state of being alive) · wuu 生命 (the state of being alive) · av гӏумру (the state of being alive) · ja 生活 (the subjective and inner manifestation of the individual) · tr dirim (the state of being alive) · my ဇီဝ (the state of being alive) · ba ғүмер (the state of being alive) · ota حیات (the state of being alive) · sw uhai (life sentence) · fi oleminen (the world in general, existence) · lt gyvybė (the state of being alive) · rif tudart (the world in general, existence) · pl żywot (the state of being alive) · hi जिंदगी (a worthwhile existence) · yoi 命 (the state of being alive) · ja 生活 (something inherently part of a person's existence) · pt vida (one of the player's chances to play) · he חַיִּים (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · zza cıwayış (diq) (the state of being alive) · rcf vi (the state of being alive) · gu જીવન (the state of being alive) · hak 生命 (the state of being alive) · ru жизнь (duration) · te ప్రాణము (the state of being alive) · fi elämä (one of the player's chances to play) · gd saoghal (the subjective and inner manifestation of the individual) · pl życie (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · pl życie (one of the player's chances to play) · sl življenje (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · el διάρκεια ζωής (duration) · hi जीवन (the subjective and inner manifestation of the individual) · gun eko (the state of being alive) · sh žìvot (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · cjs чадығ (the state of being alive) · ja 存在 (the world in general, existence) · tzo kuxlejal (the state of being alive) · fo ævi (the state of being alive) · hi जान (the state of being alive) · itl соњԓэс (the state of being alive) · nl levensduur (duration) · nl leven (the world in general, existence) · am ህይወት (the state of being alive) · ru существова́ние (the world in general, existence) · krl eländy (the state of being alive) · hi जीवन (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · fa زِنْدَگِی (the state of being alive) · hy կյանք (the world in general, existence) · da liv (the world in general, existence) · fa زِنْدِگی (a worthwhile existence) · arn mogen (the state of being alive) · pl dożywocie (life sentence) · hi प्राण (the subjective and inner manifestation of the individual) · osc 𐌁𐌉𐌉𐌕𐌀𐌌 (the state of being alive) · he חַיִּים (a worthwhile existence) · koi олӧм (the state of being alive) · gl vida (the state of being alive) · ka ცხოვრება (the state of being alive) · gd saoghal (the state of being alive) · fa زِنْدَه (the state of being alive) · el ζωή (something inherently part of a person's existence) · fi olemassaolo (the world in general, existence) · xug 命 (the state of being alive) · ki muoyo (the state of being alive) · tr yaşam (the state of being alive) · te జీవితము (the state of being alive) · sv liv (a worthwhile existence) · as জীৱন (the state of being alive) · tr ömür (the state of being alive) · hy կյանք (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · ist veîta (the state of being alive) · kk тұрмыс (the state of being alive) · ml ജീവിതം (the state of being alive) · zh 性命 (the state of being alive) · pt perpétua (life sentence) · ar حياة (the state of being alive) · uga 𐎈𐎊𐎚 (the state of being alive) · he חַיִּים (the state of being alive) · pt vida (something inherently part of a person's existence) · akk 𒍣 (the state of being alive) · el βίος (the state of being alive) · cs žití (the state of being alive) · vot elo (the state of being alive) · rup yeatsã (the state of being alive) · mk траење (duration) · hi ज़िंदगी (something inherently part of a person's existence) · ast vida (the state of being alive) · cop ⲱⲛϧ (the state of being alive) · de Leben (the subjective and inner manifestation of the individual) · pl życie (something inherently part of a person's existence) · bn জিন্দেগী (the state of being alive) · lad vida (the state of being alive) · tg зиндагонӣ (the state of being alive) · la lūx (the state of being alive) · id hidup (the state of being alive) · bua амидарал (the state of being alive) · et elamine (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · rif tudart (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · my ဇာတ် (the state of being alive) · he מאסר עולם (life sentence) · nn liv (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · ru житие́ (the state of being alive) · be жыцьцё (the state of being alive) · nn liv (a worthwhile existence) · gd beatha (something inherently part of a person's existence) · az həyat (the state of being alive) · pox zaivăt (the state of being alive) · ur جِیوَن (the state of being alive) · cs život (the world in general, existence) · lzz skidala (the state of being alive) · shn ဢသၢၵ်ႈ (the state of being alive) · hi कालावधि (duration) · as জান (the state of being alive) · pam atiyu (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · mi ora (the state of being alive) · ky жашоо (the state of being alive) · mn амь (the state of being alive) · ur آرْبَل (the state of being alive) · lt gyvenimas (the state of being alive) · om jiruu (the state of being alive) · ko 생활 (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · tn botshelô (the state of being alive) · grc βίος (the state of being alive) · cu жить (the state of being alive) · ba тормош (the state of being alive) · yi לעבן (the state of being alive) · rom ʒivipen (the state of being alive) · crh ayat (the state of being alive) · sv liv (the state of being alive) · hi जीना (the state of being alive) · mnc ᡝᡵᡤᡝᠨ (the state of being alive) · lb Liewen (the state of being alive) · csb żëcé (the state of being alive) · is lífdagar (the state of being alive) · cak k’aslemal (the state of being alive) · clt hringna (the state of being alive) · sw uhai (duration) · ady щыӏакӏэ (the state of being alive) · zh сынхуә (the state of being alive) · mww txoj sia (the state of being alive) · nn liv (the subjective and inner manifestation of the individual) · cab ibagari (the state of being alive) · pi jīvita (the state of being alive) · fa زیسْت (the state of being alive) · ln bomɔi (the state of being alive) · om lubbuu (the state of being alive) · sq roni (the state of being alive) · nb levetid (duration) · da liv (something inherently part of a person's existence) · teg moyi (the state of being alive) · nl leven (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · ar حَياة (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · zza heyat (diq) (the state of being alive) · zdj hayati (the state of being alive) · chr ᎥᎴᏂᏙᎲ (the state of being alive) · ug ھايات (the state of being alive) · shi tudrt (the state of being alive) · cs doživotí (life sentence) · fa دُوْرِه (life sentence) · sv liv (the subjective and inner manifestation of the individual) · gag ömür (the state of being alive) · oj bimaadiziwin (the state of being alive) · rsk житиє (the state of being alive) · ro viață (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · ru жизнь (the world in general, existence) · vep elo (the state of being alive) · sc bida (the state of being alive) · de Leben (the state of being alive) · pt vida (a worthwhile existence) · ami 'orip (the state of being alive) · lkt wičhóni (the state of being alive) · yi לעבן (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · mfe lavi (the state of being alive) · hop qatsi (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · ga beo (the state of being alive) · kum оьмюр (the state of being alive) · th ชีวิต (the state of being alive) · luo ngima (the state of being alive) · ady гъашӏэ (the state of being alive) · nb liv (the state of being alive) · msn ēs (the state of being alive) · yol lief (the state of being alive) · orv жизнь (the state of being alive) · es vida (the subjective and inner manifestation of the individual) · egy anx-n:x (the state of being alive) · bg доживо́тна присъ́да (life sentence) · mk живот (something inherently part of a person's existence) · nds Liiw (the state of being alive) · kjh чуртас (the state of being alive) · fa زِنْدَگَانِی (the state of being alive) · rom ʒivimos (the state of being alive) · pl życie (a worthwhile existence) · ms hayat (the state of being alive) · mi koiora (the state of being alive) · et elamiskõlblik (a worthwhile existence) · izh elo (the state of being alive) · eo vivo (a worthwhile existence) · aeb حياة (the state of being alive) · ik iñuggun (the state of being alive) · ab аҟазаара (the state of being alive) · qu kawsay (the state of being alive) · pt vida (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · hi उमर (the state of being alive) · nci nemiliztli (the state of being alive) · sh жѝвот (the subjective and inner manifestation of the individual) · es vida (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · mwl bida (the state of being alive) · hop qatsi (the state of being alive) · ur زِنْدَگی (the state of being alive) · tl buhay (the state of being alive) · fi nirri (the state of being alive) · el πλάση (the world in general, existence) · hif jindagi (the state of being alive) · dsb žywjenje (the state of being alive) · ff nguurndam (the state of being alive) · sjr lalaun (the state of being alive) · gd beatha (the subjective and inner manifestation of the individual) · de Leben (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · zh 生活 (the state of being alive) · hi लाइफ (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · ko 삶 (the state of being alive) · ru жизнь (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · ja 生命 (the state of being alive) · ce са (the state of being alive) · hi प्राण (the state of being alive) · ar حياة (the state of being alive) · orh bardilga (the state of being alive) · uk життя́ (the state of being alive) · el ζωή (a worthwhile existence) · sro vida (the state of being alive) · nah nemiliztli (the state of being alive) · bni bomoi (the state of being alive) · teo akijara (the state of being alive) · te ఉసురు (the state of being alive) · ba йөрөм (the state of being alive) · hu élet (one of the player's chances to play) · ru жизнь (a worthwhile existence) · smj iellem (the state of being alive) · mr जीवन (the state of being alive) · za ndwenngoenz (the state of being alive) · hil kabuhi (the state of being alive) · mvi 命 (the state of being alive) · gd beatha (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · bg живо́т (the state of being alive) · sq jetë (the state of being alive) · hi जीव (the state of being alive) · xmf თელარა (the state of being alive) · fr vie (the subjective and inner manifestation of the individual) · nl leven (the state of being alive) · it vita (the state of being alive) · tt гомер (the state of being alive) · sv livstidsstraff (life sentence) · yue 生命 (the state of being alive) · hi लाइफ़ (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · pl życie (the world in general, existence) · la vīta (the state of being alive) · hi जी (the state of being alive) · fa حَیَات (the state of being alive) · nb liv (the subjective and inner manifestation of the individual) · tk durmuş (the state of being alive) · cy bywyd (the state of being alive) · mk доживотна (life sentence) · ko 존재 (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · vi sự sống (the state of being alive) · nb liv (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · zh 存在 (the essence of the manifestation and the foundation of the being) · pdc Lewe (the state of being alive)
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *leyp-
Proto-Germanic *lībanąder.
Proto-Germanic *lībą
Proto-West Germanic *līb
Old English līf
Middle English lyf
English life
From Middle English lyf, from Old English līf, from Proto-West Germanic *līb, from Proto-Germanic *lībą (“life, body”), from *lībaną (“to remain, stay, be left”), from Proto-Indo-European *leyp- (“to stick, glue”).
Cognate with Scots life, leif (“life”), Saterland Frisian Lieuw (“body”), West Frisian liif (“body”), Cimbrian laip (“body”), Dutch lijf (“body”) and leven (“life”), German Leib (“body; womb”) and Leben (“life”), Low German Lief (“body; life”), Luxembourgish Leif, Läif (“body”), Vilamovian łaowa (“life”), Yiddish לײַב (layb, “body”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish liv (“life; waist”), Faroese lív (“life”), Icelandic líf (“life”). Related to belive.
The sense "biography" is likely a semantic loan from Medieval Latin vīta (“biography; hagiography”).
Meanings
To replace components whose operational lifetime has expired.
A decision was made as a matter of internal policy that all 'lifed' components on the two Royal aircraft would be removed at half-life and fitted to the two support aircraft, where the remaining life would be used prior to overhaul at the normal time. 2013, Chris Clark, From Hitler's U-Boats to Kruschev's Spyflights, page 180:
Now, the aim of the design is to extract more cycles from the component under study, at each new engine generation requirements are driving a reduction in the margin for the error, as parts cannot stand any drop in properties. Thus, the lifing procedures are refined by means of new models or additional specific testing for limiting features to increase the life of the components; […] Ignacio Fernandez, ACCENT: Adaptive Control of Manufacturing Processes for a New Generation of Jet Engine Components, in 2012, D. Knörzer, J. Szodruch, Innovation for Sustainable Aviation in a Global Environment (page 302)