long-lived

/ˈlɒŋˈlɪvd/

//ˈlɒŋˈlɪvd// adj

"long-lived" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“long-lived” is outside the top-ranked English vocabulary, used as an adjective - the kind of word writers most often double-check.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
10
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Having a long lifespan; surviving for a long period of time.

Key facts for long-lived
PropertyValue
Headwordlong-lived
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˈlɒŋˈlɪvd/
Letters10
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “long-lived” sits in English frequency

long-lived falls outside the top-100,000 ranked English words, the long-tail zone of technical, archaic, or low-frequency vocabulary, exactly where readers second-guess spellings most.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for long-lived is 10 letters long, classified as an adjective, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈlɒŋˈlɪvd/. It sits outside the most-frequent rank tiers, which is often why uncommon words generate more spelling variants per reader. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

No misspelling variants are generated for long-lived in our index, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English long-lifed, equivalent to long + life + -ed. The correct English form is long-lived, spelled L-O-N-G---L-I-V-E-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    Having a long lifespan; surviving for a long period of time.
  2. 2
    Of a radioisotope: having a long half-life.

Etymology

From Middle English long-lifed, equivalent to long + life + -ed.

Synonyms

Antonyms

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "long-lived"?
"long-lived" is spelled L-O-N-G---L-I-V-E-D. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈlɒŋˈlɪvd/.
What does "long-lived" mean?
As an adjective, "long-lived" means: Having a long lifespan; surviving for a long period of time.
How do you pronounce "long-lived"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "long-lived" is /ˈlɒŋˈlɪvd/. 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 "long-lived"?
From Middle English long-lifed, equivalent to long + life + -ed. 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 “long-lived”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is L-O-N-G---L-I-V-E-D - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈlɒŋˈlɪvd/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • 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