Words / C1

lon-JEV-uh-tee/lɒnˈdʒevəti/

Longevity is long life, or lasting a long time: longevity of a brand, a family noted for longevity. Long life is everyday; duration is wider. Longitude is a map line — a lookalike. Do not treat longevity as proof of quality (a bug can last for years).

Meaning

Long life, or the fact of lasting for a long time.

Examples

• “Longevity of the brand is not evidence that the join is clean.”
• “Long life is everyday. Lifespan is a close noun. Longitude is geography. Length is physical. An old error that nobody fixed has longevity, not virtue.”

Good to know

Long life / lasting a long time. Everyday: long life. Mix-up: longitude (map). Old ≠ good.

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