Life exists all over the Earth in air, water, and soil, with many ecosystems forming the biosphere. Some of these are harsh environments occupied only by extremophiles. The life in a particular …

Life definition: the condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic objects and dead organisms, being manifested by growth through metabolism, reproduction, and the power of …

Oct 3, 2025 · If truly only one sort of life on Earth exists, then perspective is lacking in a most fundamental way. On the other hand, the historical continuity of all life-forms means that …

Nov 30, 2021 · As such, the nature of life continues to be a hotly debated topic. This article focuses on the subject matter of biology: life. The first half of this article will focus on attempts …

LIFE definition: 1. the period between birth and death, or the experience or state of being alive: 2. for the whole…. Learn more.

All groups of living organisms share several key characteristics or functions: order, sensitivity or response to stimuli, reproduction, adaptation, growth and development, regulation, …

A difficult term to define, life can be considered the characteristic state of living organisms and individual cells, or that quality or property that distinguishes living organisms from dead …

Nov 12, 2025 · life (usually uncountable, plural lives) (uncountable) The state of organisms preceding their death, characterized by biological processes such as metabolism and …

Aug 15, 2025 · In this Back To School episode we consider the "List of Life": the criteria that define what it is to be a living thing. Some are easy calls: A kitten is alive. A grain of salt is …

There are 40 meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun life, four of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.