n. The length of time for which an organism lives.
n. The length of time for which something exists or is current or valid.
WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
n. the period during which something is functional (as between birth and death)
Word Usage
"They die within a day; their lifespan is accelerated because time works on them differently, just as time works differently on a Galapagos tortoise and a Rattus rattus."