life cycle

noun

1

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

2

: life history sense 2

3

: 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

By breaking the traditional link between feature development and vehicle platforms, the SDV architecture relies on software to enable features over the vehicle life cycle. —Niraj Kaushik, Forbes, 5 Dec. 2024

The worm is the larva of a metallic blue-green fly that spends the early part of its life cycle devouring the living flesh of mammals. —Geraldine Castro, WIRED, 4 Dec. 2024

Discover why estuaries are so important to the life cycles of many animals that call the Atlantic Ocean home. —Joe Rassel, Orlando Sentinel, 4 Dec. 2024

Inspired by Iceland-native plant species, the exhibition includes its own scenting, and draws parallels between the life cycles of both plants and humans. —James Manso, WWD, 4 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1855, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

life cycle

noun

1

: 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

2

: life history sense 1

Medical Definition

life cycle

noun

1

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

2

: life history sense 1a