Battery Life: Definition, Examples, and Usage

Meaning 1：battery run time (Battery life)

Battery life 🔊

/ˈbætəri laɪf/

How long a battery can power a device before it needs to be recharged.

Smartphone low battery warning icon at 5% on wooden desk

battery run time 🔊

➕

/ˈbætəri rʌn taɪm/

The period during which a battery can supply power to a device before requiring recharging.

📁 Category：Technological Inventions 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

Battery from Latin 'battere' (to beat) + life from Old English 'līf' (existence). Compound noun denoting duration.

💡 Mnemonic

Imagine a battery running a marathon: its 'life' measures how far it goes before collapsing.

📖 Example

I bought this new laptop because its battery life is amazing; I can work all day without plugging it in. 🔊 I bought this new laptop because its battery life is amazing; I can work all day without plugging it in.

🔗 Collocations

long battery life – A battery that lasts for many hours before needing recharge.

battery life indicator – A display or gauge showing remaining battery power.

extend battery life – To take actions (e.g., reducing brightness) to make the battery last longer.

🔄 Synonyms

run time (n.) – The duration a device can operate on its battery.

power duration (n.) – The length of time a battery can deliver power.

charge lifespan (n.) – The total time a battery functions between charges.

🚫 Antonyms

battery drain (n.) – The rapid depletion of battery power.

charge time (n.) – The duration needed to recharge a battery.

🌱 Derivatives

battery-powered (adj.) – Operated by a battery.

battery-operated (adj.) – Requiring a battery to function.

📖 Cultural Story

The term became prominent in the 1990s with portable electronics. Apple's 1991 PowerBook popularized the need for battery life specs, now a key marketing metric for laptops and phones.