Lifetime one word or two

There are many words in English that mean a long time. One could speak of forever, an eternity, an infinity, or a lifetime. Interestingly, all of these words are frequently used figuratively to describe even short durations where nothing interesting is happening, like in the phrase this is taking forever. It would seem English speakers are not a patient group.

Regarding lifetime, should you use it as one word, or as two separate words, as life time? You may have seen both versions in your reading.

The answer is simple and involves the process in English that shortens multi-word phrases into single words for easier use.

In lifetime one word? In this post, I will compare lifetime vs. life time and outline which variation you should use in your writing.

Plus, I will also show you a helpful mnemonic device that makes choosing either lifetime or life time simple

When to Use Lifetime

What does lifetime mean? Lifetime is a noun. It means the span of time beginning when a person is born and ending when the person dies. Since some people live longer than others, it is not an exact measurement.

Lifetime is often used figuratively to describe an inordinate length of time, especially if whatever is happening during it is not terribly interesting.

Here are some examples,

• “This seminar is taking a lifetime,” said a bored attendee. (Figurative)
• Ghandi spent a lifetime spreading liberty and civil rights wherever he went. (Literal)

Lifetime can also be an adjective, where it describes something that lasts until a person dies, like a prison sentence or an award.

For example,

• No one was surprised when the ax murderer was handed a lifetime sentence for his crimes.
• I honored myself with a lifetime achievement award for passing my capstone class in college.

When to Use Life Time

What does life time mean? Life time is a two-word variant of the same term.

Over time, the English language compounds many phrases that once began as separate words, resulting in a single word. The same phenomenon has taken place with race car (forming racecar) and smart phone (to form smartphone).

Here’s an example of life time in a sentence,

• Jaylen thought he would suffer a life time of sorrow after Genieve broke up with him.

In the chart below, you can see the relative usage of life time vs. lifetime in English,

As you can see, lifetime is clearly preferred and has been since at least 1800. The compounding process has been decisive for these words.

Trick to Remember the Difference

For at least the last two centuries, writers have strongly preferred lifetime to life time. You should do the same in your own writing.

Since lifetime is a single word, like its fellow compounds goalpost and bedpost, it’s easy to remember to use it.

Summary

Is it life time or lifetime? Lifetime is an adjective and a noun that means the duration of a person’s life. It is a compound of the two-word phrase lifetime, and today, the single word version predominates.

To summarize,

• Lifetime is one word.
• Life time is an incorrect spelling.

The word appears to have been compounded at least 200 years ago.

Last Updated: October 6, 2022 | Author: John Watkins

What are some antonyms for life?

antonyms for life

• apathy.
• dullness.
• inactivity.
• indifference.
• lethargy.

What is the synonym of lifetime?

life expectancy

nounperiod of a being’s existence. all one’s natural life. expectation of life. life cycle. life span.

What are the 5 antonyms?

Antonym examples:

• Admire – Detest.
• Bravery – Cowardice.
• Crooked – Straight.
• Dainty – Clumsy.
• Economise – Waste.

Will last a lifetime meaning?

A thing of substance/quality will last for a lifetime, i.e. it will not wear out for very many years.

Is lifetime one word or two words?

Lifetime is one word which means the total time of a being’s life from the time it is born until it dies. It can also be used to mean a really long amount of time. Lifetime can be used as an adjective or noun.

Which means synonym?

In this page you can discover 23 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for which, like: that, thus, therefore, for-which, whereby, so-that, to-some-extent, in this way, these, whatever and what.

What’s the meaning of life span?

life span, the period of time between the birth and death of an organism.

What does lifetime experience mean?

: experience and knowledge gained through living.

What is the opposite of eternal life?

“My late grandfather was joyful and happy during the last remaining years of his life.”
…
What is the opposite of eternal life?

life	lifetime
born days	life expectancy

What is the word for never dying?

immortal Add to list Share. Immortal describes what will never die.

What is the opposite of eternity?

▲ Opposite of one’s life or existence after death. hell. limbo. dystopia.

What is another word for eternal life?

What is another word for eternal life?

immortality	deathlessness
perpetuity	endlessness
eternity	indestructibility
timelessness	everlasting life
everlastingness	imperishability

What is opposite of a saint?

Antonyms. bad person earthly mortal finite inferior deny desecrate.

What does eternal life mean in the Bible?

Eternal life is the phrase used in scripture to define the quality of life that our Eternal Father lives. The Lord declared, “This is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39). Immortality is to live forever as a resurrected being.

What word means everlasting life?

noun. Endless life after death: afterlife, deathlessness, eternity, everlastingness, immortality. Want to thank TFD for its existence?

What is a bigger word than infinity?

The state or quality of being infinite or limitless. boundlessness. endlessness. infinitude. limitlessness.

Most grammarists agree that lifelong – meaning lasting through one’s existence, as in a lifelong friendship – should be one word rather than two words or hyphenated. “Usually” is the operative word here, as lifelong is an exception.

Is there a hyphen in lifetime?

If the phrase once in a lifetime is used to describe when the event or opportunity happens, (it happens once in a lifetime), it is used as an adverb and is not hyphenated.

What is one in a lifetime?

/ˌwʌn.sɪnəˈlaɪf.taɪm/ A once-in-a-lifetime experience or opportunity is very special because you will probably only have it once: A tour of Australia is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases.

Is it a once or an once?

“A” is correct because “once” starts with a consonant sound, /w/. It does not start with a vowel sound even though it is spelled with a vowel. The spelling of words is irrelevant to whether they are preceded by “a” or “an,” the pronunciation is the only thing that counts.

Which tense is used with once?

past tense

What’s another word for once in a lifetime?

What is another word for once-in-a-lifetime?

unique	unbelievable
once in a lifetime	isolated
one shot	only possible
particular	unaccompanied
onliest	distinct

How do you use once in a lifetime sentence?

Examples of once-in-a-lifetime

1. Many of their clients are small, once-in-a-lifetime clients.
2. That type of suffering is not a once-in-a-lifetime matter, but—for those who have suffered it—lasts for a whole lifetime.
3. Let me repeat, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

What is the meaning of once in a while?

: sometimes but not often : from time to time : occasionally We still see each other every once in a while.

How long is once in a while?

The phrase “Once in a while” means one time in an arbitrary (indefinite, nonspecific) time period. As such, it has come to mean repeatedly one such time in one such arbitrary period, that is, multiple arbitrary occurrences in multiple arbitrary time periods.

How do you write every once in a while?

Reminder: “Every once in a while” is the proper form of this expression—not “every once and a while,” not “every once in awhile.”

What’s the meaning of once?

(Entry 1 of 4) 1 : one time and no more rode a horse only once went skydiving once. 2 : at any one time : under any circumstances : ever didn’t once thank me. 3 : at some indefinite time in the past : formerly was once a booming mining town.

How do you use once?

We use once as an adverb to mean ‘one single time’:

1. I’ve only met Jane’s husband once. (
2. They go for dinner together once a month. (
3. I see him once every two or three weeks.
4. My father once worked on an oilrig.
5. The Millers once owned a dairy farm.
6. She was once a schoolteacher but she hated it.

What’s the meaning of while?

1 : a period of time especially when short and marked by the occurrence of an action or a condition : time stay here for a while. 2 : the time and effort used (as in the performance of an action) : trouble worth your while. while. conjunction.

How do you spell while?

A While Definition A while is a noun phrase made up of two words—the article a and the noun while. If we suppose that there’s no need to analyze what the article here means, we can focus on the noun: while is an unspecified amount of time. So the noun phrase a while means “a period of time.”

What is a part of speech of while?

The same English word can be used as different parts of speech. “While” is most often used as a conjunction or preposition. But it is also known to be used as a noun, and very rarely as a verb.

What sort of word is fastest?

adjective

Is faster a real word?

Faster can be a noun, an adverb or an adjective.

What is the part of speech of beautiful?

The word ‘beautiful’ acts as an adjective in a sentence. It is used to describe people, places, things, or ideas.

1.1 Think about how you would answer the following questions.

1. Do you think people work too much nowadays?
2. What do you like to do to relax?
3. What is your idea of a perfect day?
4. How would you describe your attitude to life?

1.2 Now listen to four people answering these questions and decide which of the words in the box best describes each speaker.

Speaker 1 …

Speaker 2 …

Speaker 3 …

Speaker 4 …

1.3 Listen to the speakers again and complete the following phrases.

1.4 Make a note of any of these words and phrases that apply to you and then answer the questions in 1.1 again.

2. COLLOCATION Complete the words or phrases in the sentences with life or living. Which answers are written as one word?

1. Going to Egypt and seeing the pyramids was a once in a _______ time opportunity for me.

2. The standard of _______ in my country is very good; there are not many poor people there.

3. In my job as a nurse I get to meet people from all walks of _______.

4. For me, being a vegetarian is not just about diet, it has become a way of _______

5. Many people only think about bills they need to pay and forget to allow for everyday _______ expenses when they calculate a budget.

6. It was a _______ long ambition of mine to travel to the Arctic Circle and see the northern lights.

7. A rise in petrol prices inevitably leads to a rise in the cost of _______ .

8. The happiest people are those who have found a way to make a _______ from their hobby.

LEISURE

3.1 Read the text and decide whether the sentences below are true or false. Match the words in bold in the sentences with one of the underlined words or phrases in the text.

Leisure activity isn’t just for fun, says a University of Florida psychologist who has developed a scale that classifies hobbies based on needs they satisfy in people. The scale can help people find more personal fulfiment by giving them insight into what they really like. “The surprising thing is that activities you might think are very different have similar effects on people, said Howard E.A. Tinsley, a UF psychology professor who developed the measurement. ‘Probably no one would consider acting to have the same characteristics as roller-skating or playing baseball, but men and women who act as a hobby report feeling an intense sense of belonging to a group, much the same way others do in playing sports.’

And activities providing the strongest sense of competition are not sports, but card, arcade and computer games, he found. Participating in soccer satisfies our desire for a sense of ‘belonging’ and coin collecting and baking fulfil their need for ‘creativity.’ ‘With so many people in jobs they don’t care for, leisure is a prized aspect of people’s lives,’ Tinsley said. ‘Yet it’s not something psychologists really study. Economists tell us how much money people spend skiing, but nobody explains why skiing really appeals to people.’ Or how one activity relates to another, perhaps in unexpected ways, Tinslcy said. Fishing, generally considered more of an outdoor recreational activity, for example, is a form of self-expression like quilting or stamp collecting, because it gives people the opportunity to express some aspect of their personality by doing something completely different from their daily routine, he said.

1. Both acting and roller-skating give people a strong feeling of being part of a team. => True – intense sense

2. Taking part in sports gives you the strongest desire to win.

3. Collecting things satisfies people’s desire for making things.

4. Researchers already know why a hobby attracts a person.

5. Fishing allows you to show the type of person you are.

3.2 Now look at the remaining words and phrases that have been undertined in the text and match them to these definitions.

1. a feeling of doing what you have always wanted to do _______

2. a deep understanding _______

3. a feature of _______

4. something that is done for enjoyment in your free time. (x3) _______

5. things you do every day _______

4.1 COLLOCATION Match the verbs with nouns from the box. You may use the words more than once.

4.2 Correct the 14 vocabulary mistakes in the text.

Although we have a better standard of living nowadays, in many ways our quality of life is not as good as in the past because we are always too busy to enjoy what we have.

Everyday life today is much more complicated than in the past. Even in our leisure time we have to take so many choices about what to do or even what to watch on TV. We are often spoilt for choice and this can leave us feeling confused and dissatisfied. We all know that it is important to get a balance between work and play, but many of us do not succeed. Instead, we make extra pressure for ourselves by trying to be as successful in our work life as in our personal life.

Life in the past was much simpler as many people worked to get their basic needs. Today, for many of us, our job is not just a way of making a life. For many, work is an important role in our everyday life and gives us a strong sense of personal fulfilment. What is more, we have become much more materialistic. Many people get themselves goals such as buying a new house or car and so we measure our success by the material things we own. Desiring these luxuries is what motivates us to work much harder than in the past, so in many ways we choice this way of life.

We have worked hard to improve our standard of living, but it may have come at a very high price. We need to take some changes in our priorities so that family occasions are as important as business meetings. We should also make every possible opportunity to relax and enjoy our leisure time. Once you have given the decision to do this, you should find that your quality of life also improves. My ultimate aim is to have a happy family life. If I get this goal then I know I will not regret any chances I have lost to stay longer at the office.

---

Answer

1.2

1 realist 2 risk-taker 3 pessimist 4 optimist

2

1 lifetime (one word) 2 living 3 life 4 life 5 living 6 lifelong (one word) 7 living 8 living

3

1. True (Probably no one would consider acting to have the same characteristics as roller-skating or playing baseball, but men and women who act as a hobby report feeling on intense sense of belonging to a group, much the same way others do in playing sports) strong = intense; feeling = sense.

2. False (And activities providing the strongest sense of competition are not sports, but card, arcade ond computer games, he found.) taking part in = participating in; desire to win = sense of competition

3. True (coin collecting … fulfil their need for ‘creativity’) satisfies people’s desire = fulfil their need; making things = creativity

4. False (but nobody explains why skiing really appeals to people.) attracts = appeals to

5. True (Fishing, generally considered more of an outdoor recreational activity, for example, is a form of self-expression like quilting or stomp collecting, becouse it gives people the opportunity to express some aspect of their personality) the type of person you are = your personality

3.2

1 personal fulfilment 2 insight 3 aspect 4 leisure activity, hobby, recreational activity 5 daily routine

4.1

make a decision, make a change, make a choice, meet a need, miss a chance, miss an opportunity, play a role, put pressure (on), set a goal, take a chance, take an opportunity

4.2

Everyday life today is much more complicated than in the past. Even in our leisure time we have to take make so many choices about what to do or even what to watch on TV. We are often spoilt for choice and this can leave us feeling confused and dissatisfied. We all know that it is important to get achieve a balance between work and play, but many of us do not succeed. Instead, we make put extra pressure for on ourselves by trying to be as successful in our work life as in our personal life.

Life in the past was much simpler as many people worked to get meet their basic needs. Today, for many of us, our job is not just a way of making a life living. For many, work is plays an important role in our everyday life and gives us a strong sense of personal fulfilment. What is more, we have become much more materialistic. Many people get set themselves goals such as buying a new house or car and so we measure our success by the material things we own. Desiring these luxuries is what motivates us to work much harder than in the past, so in many ways we choice choose this way of life.

We have worked hard to improve our standard of living, but it may have come at a very high price. We need to take make some changes in our priorities so that family occasions are as important as business meetings. We should also make take every possible opportunity to relax and enjoy our leisure time. Once you have given made the decision to do this, you should find that your quality of life also improves. My ultimate aim is to have a happy family life. If I get achieve this goal then I know I will not regret any chances I have lost missed to stay longer at the office.