English

life cycle

From life + cycle.

A compound of life + cycle

Proto-Germanic *lībą ‘life’

Proto-West Germanic *līb ‘body’

Old English līf

Middle English lyf

English life

Proto-Indo-European *kʷel- ‘to turn’

…

Proto-Hellenic *kúklos ‘circle, wheel’

Ancient Greek κύκλος ‘circle, ring’

Late Latin cyclus

Middle English cicle ‘fixed length period of years’

English cycle

Today it means

noun The course of stages through which an organism passes from fertilized zygote until maturity, reproduction, and death.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / life cycle