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Added 9 October 2026

short-lived

/ʃɔɹtˈlɪvd/ adjective

adjective Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about short-lived at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Alive or existent for only a short period of time.
But his joy was short-lived, for his fortunes soon changed.
Of a radioisotope (or by extension radioelement): having a short half-life.

Origin

From short + lived (“having a life, lifed”), equivalent to short + life + -ed. Compare Middle English short-livi, sort-levi (“short-lived”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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