Essential Meaning of 

life
1: the ability to grow, change, etc., that separates plants and animals
from things like water or rocksHe believes that God gives life to all
creatures.the miracle of lifeeternal/everlasting life
2: the period of time when a person is aliveShe knew what she wanted
to do early in life. [=when she was young]He became famous
relatively late in life. [=at a relatively old age] See More Examples
3: the experience of being aliveWhat do you really want out of life?He
believes in living life to the fullest. [=in living a very full and rich life] See
More Examples

Full Definition of life

 (Entry 1 of 2)
1a: the quality that distinguishes a vital and functional being from a
dead body
b: a principle or force that is considered to underlie the distinctive
quality of animate beings
c: an organismic state characterized by capacity for metabolism
(see METABOLISM SENSE 1), growth, reaction to stimuli, and
reproduction
2a: the sequence of physical and mental experiences that make up the
existence of an individualchildren … are the joy of our lives— Agnes S.
Turnbull

b: one or more aspects of the process of livingsex life of the frog

3: BIOGRAPHY SENSE 1the life of George Washington
4: spiritual existence transcending (see TRANSCEND SENSE 1C) physical
deathhis craving … for the release into the life to come— Rodney Gilbert
5a: the period from birth to death
b: a specific phase of earthly existenceadult life
c: the period from an event until deatha judge appointed for life
d: a sentence of imprisonment for the remainder of a convict's life
6: a way or manner of livingthe life of the colonists
7: LIVELIHOODThe fishing village drew its life from the sea.
8: a vital or living beingspecifically : PERSONmany lives were lost in the
disaster
9: an animating and shaping force or principlethe life of the constitution
… has been not logic but experience — F. A. Ogg & Harold Zink
10: SPIRIT, ANIMATIONsaw no life in her dancing
11: the form or pattern of something existing in realitypainted from life
12: the period of duration, usefulness, or popularity of somethingthe
expected life of the batteries
13: the period of existence (as of a subatomic particle)— compare HALF-
LIFE
14: a property (such as resilience (see RESILIENCE SENSE 1) or elasticity)
of an inanimate (see INANIMATE SENSE 1) substance or object
resembling the animate quality of a living being
15: living beings (as of a particular kind or environment)forest life
16a: human activities
b: animate activity and movementstirrings of life
c: the activities of a given sphere, area, or timethe political life of the
country
17: one providing interest and vigorlife of the party
18: an opportunity for continued viabilitygave the patient a new life
19capitalized, Christian Science  : GOD SENSE 1B
20: something resembling animate lifea grant saved the project's life
— see also GET ONE'S LIFE BACK TOGETHER, GET ONE'S LIFE TOGETHER
life
adjective
 

Definition of life (Entry 2 of 2)
1: of or relating to animate being
2: LIFELONGa life member
3: using a living modela life class
4: of, relating to, or provided by life insurancea life policy

Synonyms