Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

shelf life

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.01 in modern English

Syllables
shelf life
IPA
18
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
1
Syllables
6
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The length of time a product (especially food and drugs) will last without deteriorating or without being sold.

noun

The length of time that something is popular or fashionable.

Example Sentences

Etymology

From shelf + life.

Inflected Forms

Phrases

Frequently Paired Words

Synonyms

Questions

What does shelf life mean?
The length of time a product (especially food and drugs) will last without deteriorating or without being sold.
Where does shelf life come from?
From shelf + life.

How to pronounce shelf life

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “shelf life”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “shelf life”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “shelf life” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.