life expectancy

noun

: the average lifespan of an individual

Examples of life expectancy in a Sentence

improvements in diet that have resulted in greater life expectancy for many people calculating the life expectancies of different social groups
Recent Examples on the Web From 65 years in 1965, life expectancy in Singapore has risen to 83.74 years in 2023, becoming the eighth highest in the world. Y-Jean Mun-Delsalle, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024 In a recent appearance on Joe Rogan’s podcast, Trump held up a chart comparing life expectancy and health expenditures around the world, with the US an obvious negative outlier on both metrics. Meg Tirrell, CNN, 30 Oct. 2024 More severe forms of EB have a life expectancy range of early infancy to 35 years of age. Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 27 Oct. 2024 On average, nations that transitioned from autocracy to democracy saw near-immediate improvements—within a decade, life expectancy increased by more than two years—and those which slid from democracy to autocracy experienced the opposite. Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 27 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for life expectancy 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'life expectancy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of life expectancy was in 1848

Dictionary Entries Near life expectancy

Cite this Entry

“Life expectancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/life%20expectancy. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

life expectancy

noun
: the number of years that an individual or group of a certain age can expect to live on the average based on experience in the past for individuals or groups of the same kind

Medical Definition

life expectancy

noun
: an expected number of years of life based on statistical probability

Legal Definition

life expectancy

noun
: the average life span of an individual

More from Merriam-Webster on life expectancy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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