life cycle
nounDefinition of life cycle
1
: the series of stages in form and functional activity through which an organism passes between successive recurrences of a specified primary stage
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
Virile in summer and dormant in winter, the bear’s life cycle mirrors the seasons, and when bears emerged from their dens in spring, they were seen as the source of fertility for the goddess. — David James, Anchorage Daily News, "New book explores mankind’s fascination with bears, from Stone Age to 'Winnie the Pooh’," 31 Aug. 2019 An animal exodus would create a cyclical impact on the life cycle of plants and trees. — Hira Humayun, CNN, "What the Amazon's fires mean for its animals," 28 Aug. 2019 After three weeks of metamorphosis, the moths were about to mate and lay eggs — a stage of the life cycle that coincided with the end of school. — Vanessa Hua, SFChronicle.com, "The wonder of silkworms, past and present," 5 July 2019 And while fire experts say that wildfires are a normal part of the life cycle of the state’s boreal landscape, major fire seasons seem to be more common – and to be stretching longer. — Tara Law, Time, "About 2.5 Million Acres in Alaska Have Burned. The State's Wildfire Seasons Are Getting Worse, Experts Say," 6 Feb. 2019 Such is the life cycle of a pioneer, as well as the nature of competition and capitalism: Others build on ideas and refine concepts, catching up and often turning the innovator into a laggard. — Jon Wertheim, SI.com, "How the Influence of Al Davis Shaped the Modern NFL," 27 Aug. 2019 While learning about native plants, how best to attract butterflies to home gardens and the life cycle of butterflies, visitors can participate in live releases of butterflies into the garden. — courant.com, "Community News For The West Hartford Edition," 15 July 2019 Factoring in equipment and life cycle costs, Koonce said, Virginia wind energy stands to cost more than $100 per megawatt hour; Dominion wants to get that number closer to $80. — Washington Post, "Utility taking cautious approach as Virginia offshore wind project gets underway," 1 July 2019 Pagan rituals celebrating fertility and the life cycle are depicted throughout, and like so many things that can trace their origins back to the early days of civilization, there’s a brutal, violent stain beneath the veneer of rebirth. — Anne Cohen, refinery29.com, "Midsommar Makes Haunting Horror Out Of Sunlight & Flower Crowns," 28 June 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'life cycle.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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