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
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
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.
Instead of just targeting adult mosquitoes, Orkin's approach focuses on disrupting the mosquito life cycle by treating areas where mosquitoes breed and rest. Alora Bopray, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026 No other plant has achieved as complete a transformation of its body, genes, and life cycle as seagrasses. David George Haskell, Big Think, 27 Mar. 2026 Senescence is part of the natural life cycle of a female octopus. Los Angeles Times, 26 Mar. 2026 Humans seeding anthrax People can get caught in the life cycle of Bacillus anthracis. Hannah Kinzer, The Conversation, 25 Mar. 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

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Cite this Entry

“Life cycle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/life%20cycle. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.

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

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

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