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Discussion Forum—A Way with Words, a fun radio show and podcast about language

A Way with Words, a radio show and podcast about language and linguistics.

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Life Cycle or Lifecycle
Guest
1
2012/11/21 - 4:10pm

I'm working on a project entitled  "The Life Cycle of a Soldier". I'm wondering if Life Cycle is still two words, should be one word (Lifecycle), or if it matters how I spell/typeset it? I'm inclined toward Life Cycle because it seems more formal, proper, correct. Also, as a graphic designer, I like that way it looks better on the page. Thoughts? Thanks!

Guest
2
2012/11/22 - 9:11am

Welcome to the forum, toptomato. Two words seems better imho. I haven't often seen lifecycle as one word ... sounds more like a brand name for an exercise device.

Google: "life cycle" gets 48.5 million hits, "lifecycle" gets 36.4 million. Many of the latter appear to be branded usage.

According to some online dictionaries, both are acceptable, though the one-word version is listed as an "alternate" spelling.

Guest
3
2012/11/25 - 1:46pm

What he said.

Guest
4
2012/11/25 - 5:35pm

Ahh. That was an easy one. Thanks for concurring, and for taking the time to weigh in. Much appreciated! Done.  

Guest
5
2015/03/11 - 11:07am

The software industry for some reason prefers the alternative spelling. However, the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary has an entry for "life cycle" when you search for "lifecycle" that seems to be suitable for the life cycles of software objects under definition 3.

Ron Draney
721 Posts
(Offline)
6
2015/03/11 - 6:12pm

The usual rule in cases like this is that it's two words when used as a noun, one word when used attributively. So:

The life cycle of an armadillo consists of three phases.

...but....

Diet has a significant effect upon lifecycle completion.

katexic
Alaska
8 Posts
(Offline)
7
2015/03/23 - 1:43pm

Heimhenge said
Welcome to the forum, toptomato. Two words seems better imho. I haven't often seen lifecycle as one word ... sounds more like a brand name for an exercise device.

Google: "life cycle" gets 48.5 million hits, "lifecycle" gets 36.4 million. Many of the latter appear to be branded usage.

According to some online dictionaries, both are acceptable, though the one-word version is listed as an "alternate" spelling.

I've spent far too many looking at the name while spending hours cycling to nowhere not to note that it *is* a brand name for a torture--I mean exercise--device...

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