What does lifestyle mean?
Lifestyle means the manner in which a person or group lives, including the habits, activities, interests, and material conditions that form a recognizable pattern. People may describe their own lifestyle as relaxed, fast-paced, minimalist, traditional, or cosmopolitan, while businesses and advertisements often use the word to associate products with a particular image or set of values. The term can therefore refer both to ordinary lived experience and to a socially or commercially constructed idea of how life ought to be lived. In everyday use, “lifestyle” is especially common in discussions of health, travel, fashion, entertainment, and consumer choices. It is related to “way of life” and “mode of living,” but often carries a stronger emphasis on personal identity, habit, and the overall pattern of choices.
nounA person's pattern of living, including their habits, activities, interests, and material circumstances. It may also refer collectively to the ways of life associated with a particular group or period.
- A person's characteristic way of living, including their habits, interests, and material circumstances.
- The culture and pattern of living associated with a particular group, era, or place.
- A marketing category centered on products, services, or experiences associated with a desired way of life.
"After years of city life, she adopted a slower lifestyle in the countryside."
"The retirement has given him more time to enjoy the outdoor lifestyle he always preferred."
"The brand is marketed to consumers who see wellness as part of their lifestyle."
"Streaming services have made it easier to watch films that reflect a very different lifestyle."
Used when referring to the different ways in which individuals or groups live.
"The study compares the lifestyles of urban and rural communities."
Lifestyle is the quiet architecture of everyday choices: the routines, comforts, and priorities that shape how a life is actually lived.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does lifestyle come from?
Lifestyle was formed in English by combining life with style. Both elements ultimately relate to living and human existence, while style contributes the sense of a characteristic manner or pattern. The compound became established in the modern period as a term for the distinctive ways in which individuals and social groups live, and it later acquired additional commercial uses in advertising and marketing.
Related word forms
How lifestyle is actually used
The term is common in neutral and commercial contexts. It can sound more deliberate or aspirational than “way of life,” especially when discussing health, consumption, or personal choices.
Easily confused with lifestyle
Life refers to the existence and experience of a person or living organism, whereas lifestyle specifically emphasizes the pattern and manner of living.