life cycle

noun

: the series of stages in form and functional activity through which an organism passes between successive recurrences of a specified primary stage

: life history sense 2

: a series of stages through which something (such as an individual, culture, or manufactured product) passes during its lifetime

Examples of life cycle in a Sentence

the life cycle of a shark

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

This fundamentally shifts the emphasis from completing a one-off verification step to maintaining continuous confidence across the entire identity life cycle. — Bojan Šimić, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026 When spring arrives, the larvae pupate into adults, emerge from the tree, and the 1-year life cycle repeats. — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Aug. 2026 Schoenbrun has given us the entire life cycle of an intellectual property in three minutes, a sneak preview of the affection, the brilliance, and the sense of obsession to come. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2026 The mural follows the Chinook salmon’s entire life cycle, showing the fish traveling downstream beneath the Golden Gate Bridge, into the Pacific Ocean, and eventually returning to the Dry Creek watershed to spawn. — Nicole Buss august 5, Sacbee.com, 5 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for life cycle

Word History

First Known Use

1855, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of life cycle was in 1855

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Life cycle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/life%20cycle. Accessed 13 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

life cycle

noun

: the series of stages of form and activity through which a living thing passes from a beginning stage (as an egg) in one individual to the same stage in its offspring

: life history sense 1

Medical Definition

life cycle

noun

: the series of stages in form and functional activity through which an organism passes between successive recurrences of a specified primary stage

: life history sense 1a

life cycle

noun

Examples of life cycle in a Sentence

Word History

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life cycle

noun

Examples of life cycle in a Sentence

Word History

Rhymes for life cycle

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

Medical Definition

More from Merriam-Webster on life cycle

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Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

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