Long-lived
adj.resilient, calmformal
What it means
Surviving or continuing for notably many years.
Reach for it when describing organisms, institutions, products, or phenomena with unusual lifespan
The long-lived olive trees continued to fruit after the village was rebuilt.
Choose between these
6- playful
informal praise for designed durability fits
not when Built to last cannot describe a species or naturally occurring phenomenon.
- professional
physical resistance to damage explains longevity
not when Durable does not guarantee an unusually long actual life.
- professional
a relationship or arrangement has existed for years
not when Longstanding does not describe living organisms naturally.
- formal
perennial
a plant returns for multiple years or an issue repeatedly recurs
not when Perennial has a specific botanical or recurring meaning.
- literary
survival through change matters more than measured lifespan
not when Enduring can refer to influence after the thing itself has ended.
- literary
great age also earns respect
not when Venerable praises age and status, not merely survival.
Said against
3- short-lived
- ephemeral
- brief
It naturally appears in
3- long-lived species
The long-lived species reproduces only after twenty years.
- long-lived tradition
A long-lived tradition brought former pupils back each spring.
- remarkably long-lived
The simple hand pump proved remarkably long-lived.
Where this comes from
- merriam-webster, adjective, single sense opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.