lifetime

/ˈlaɪf.taɪm/

//ˈlaɪf.taɪm// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"lifetime" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“lifetime” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #3,701 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#3,701
frequency rank, English
8
letters
11
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The duration of the life of someone or something.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

lifetime vs lifeline
75% similar
lifetime vs lifelike
75% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for lifetime
PropertyValue
Headwordlifetime
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈlaɪf.taɪm/
Letters8
Frequency rank#3,701
Misspellings tracked11
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “lifetime” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). lifetime lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for lifetime is 8 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈlaɪf.taɪm/. Corpus data places it at rank #3,701 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 11 likely wrong-spelling variants for lifetime, with forms such as "ilfetime", "lfietime", and "lieftime". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "lifeline", "lifelike", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English lyftyme, equivalent to life + time. Cognate with Icelandic líftími (“lifetime”). Compare also Saterland Frisian Lieuwendstied, Dutch leeftijd and levenstijd, German Low German Levenstied, German Lebenszeit, Danish livstid, Swedish livstid. The correct English form is lifetime, spelled L-I-F-E-T-I-M-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    The duration of the life of someone or something.
  2. 2
    A long period of time.

Etymology

From Middle English lyftyme, equivalent to life + time. Cognate with Icelandic líftími (“lifetime”). Compare also Saterland Frisian Lieuwendstied, Dutch leeftijd and levenstijd, German Low German Levenstied, German Lebenszeit, Danish livstid, Swedish livstid.

This word in other languages

vida(Español)durée de vie(Français)Leben(Deutsch)vida(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ilfetime,lfietime,lieftime,lifeitme,lifetiem,lifetimme,lifetmie,lifettime,liffetime,lifteime,llifetime

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of lifetime - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

ilfetime2lfietime2lieftime2lifeitme2lifetiem2lifetimme1lifetmie2lifettime1
Edit distance from "lifetime"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "lifetime"?
"lifetime" is spelled L-I-F-E-T-I-M-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈlaɪf.taɪm/.
What does "lifetime" mean?
As a noun, "lifetime" means: The duration of the life of someone or something.
What words are commonly confused with "lifetime"?
"lifetime" is commonly confused with "lifeline", "lifelike". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "lifetime"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "lifetime" is /ˈlaɪf.taɪm/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "lifetime"?
From Middle English lyftyme, equivalent to life + time. Cognate with Icelandic líftími (“lifetime”). Compare also Saterland Frisian Lieuwendstied, Dutch leeftijd and levenstijd, German Low German Levenstied, German Lebenszeit, Danish livstid, Swed... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “lifetime”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is L-I-F-E-T-I-M-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈlaɪf.taɪm/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “lifeline” - see the side-by-side comparison. lifetime vs lifeline
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list