Not quite in this case - fn description(&self) -> &str returns either a reference that's tied to the lifetime of self or a 'static reference. So the non-elided signature is fn description &'a str. But 'static is a subtype of 'a (i.e. a longer lifetime can be substituted for a shorter one), so you can also return 'static there. Note this subtype relationship is true only for immutable references.