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life or death

adjective

life or death is an adjective meaning “Alternative form of life-or-death” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). It is spelled L-I-F-E-O-R-D-E-A-T-H.

What does life or death mean?

adjective

  1. 1

    Alternative form of life-or-death.

adjective

as life-or-death
  1. 1

    Of critical importance to the survival of a living organism.

    Good camoflouge is life or death for many animals in the wild.

  2. 2

    Having death as a possible or even likely outcome; perilous.

    Ascending Mount Everest can be life or death for an inexperienced climber.

  3. 3

    Of critical importance to the success of a particular endeavor.

    Obtaining financing was a life-or-death matter for the research.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

Forms of life or death

  • life-and-death

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).