short-lived
UK: /ˌʃɔːt ˈlɪvd/ | US: /ˌʃɔːrt ˈlɪvd/
adj. lasting only a short time; ephemeral
adj. (of a person or organism) having a brief lifespan
The word combines "short" (Old English scort, meaning "not long") with "lived," the past participle of "live" (Old English libban, meaning "to be alive"). The hyphenated form emerged in the 16th century to describe things or beings with a limited duration. The logic is straightforward: "short" modifies "lived" to emphasize brevity in existence or effectiveness.
The flowers were beautiful but short-lived, wilting after just two days.
Their victory was short-lived, as the opposing team scored again minutes later.
The company’s success proved short-lived due to poor management.
Many insects are short-lived, surviving only a few weeks as adults.
The peace treaty was short-lived, with conflicts resuming within months.