Meanings
nounlived experience (countable and uncountable, plural lived experiences)
plural lived experiences
- countableuncountablehuman sciencesThe experiences and choices of a given person, and the knowledge that they gain as a result.
In the philosophy of Wilhelm Dilthey, the human sciences are based on lived experience, which makes them fundamentally different from the natural sciences, which are considered to be based on scientific experiences.
Translations
Chinese Mandarin 人生經歷 /人生经历, 切身經歷 /切身经历
- 人生經歷 /人生经历 (rénshēng jīnglì)experiences and choices of a given person
- 切身經歷 /切身经历 (qièshēn jīnglì)experiences and choices of a given person
Dutch levenservaring
- levenservaringexperiences and choices of a given person
Finnish elämänkokemus
- elämänkokemusexperiences and choices of a given person
Spanish experiencia vivida, vivencia
- experiencia vividaexperiences and choices of a given person
- vivenciaexperiences and choices of a given person
Cite this entry
APA
lived experience. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lived%20experience
MLA
“lived experience.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lived%20experience. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “lived experience,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lived%20experience.
Source: lived experience on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.