lífslangt

Lífslangt is an Icelandic adjective meaning lasting for the entire course of a person’s life; in English it is most often translated as lifelong. The word is built from lif, meaning life, and langt, meaning long, and it has cognates in other Scandinavian languages such as Swedish livslång and Danish livslang.

Usage in Icelandic is to describe something that continues for the duration of a life. It is commonly applied to relationships, ambitions, careers, or commitments that persist from youth into old age. Examples include lífslangt samband, meaning lifelong relationship, and lífslangt starfsferill, meaning lifelong career. The term is used in both everyday speech and formal writing to emphasize enduring duration.

In linguistics and language practice, lífslangt behaves like a standard Icelandic adjective and agrees with the noun it modifies in number and gender. Its concept parallels the English lifelong, though its placement and agreement follow Icelandic grammatical rules.

Historically and culturally, lifelong commitments are a common topic in Icelandic discourse, as in discussions of education, work, family, or health. The term lífslangt thus functions as a precise descriptor for enduring states or relationships that extend across a person’s life.