The state of being alive, including growth, movement, and reactions to the environment. It can also mean the period between birth and death, or the experience and activities of a person.
From Old English *līf* meaning “life, existence,” related to Old Norse *líf* and German *Leben*. These words go back to an ancient root meaning “to remain, continue.”
‘Life’ is both biological and deeply personal: the same word covers cells dividing and you choosing what to do with your day. The grammar tricks us—saying “life is short” compresses millions of complex moments into one tiny sentence.
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