Most of the time a lifetime is a synonym for the scope, for example in this c code:

void foo()
{
    int x = 0; // lifetime of `x' begins here ──┐
    //                                          │
    printf("%d\n", x); //                       │
} // and finishes here ─────────────────────────┘

Rust:

The lifetime is a key concept in rust: it is a construct the compiler (also called the borrow-checker) uses to ensure all borrows are valid.

Links:

• Documentation
• Rust by example