fatality

[fey-tal-i-tee, fuh-]

noun

plural

fatalities 

1. a disaster resulting in death.

2. a death resulting from such an occurrence.

   a rise in highway fatalities.

3. the quality of causing death or disaster; a fatal influence; deadliness.

4. predetermined liability to disaster, misfortune, etc..

   a fatality for saying the wrong thing.

5. the quality of being predetermined by or subject to fate.

   There is a fatality in human affairs that leads to destruction.

6. the fate or destiny of a person or thing.

   Death is the ultimate fatality of all human beings.

7. a fixed, unalterably predetermined course of things; inevitability.

   to resign oneself to the fatality of life.

fatality

/ fəˈtælɪtɪ /

noun

1. an accident or disaster resulting in death

2. a person killed in an accident or disaster

3. the power of causing death or disaster; deadliness

4. the quality or condition of being fated

5. something caused or dictated by fate

Other Word Forms

• nonfatality noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of fatality¹

From the Late Latin word fātālitās, dating back to 1480–90. See fatal, -ity

Example Sentences

Auto fatalities have increased over the last decade even as cars have become safer and alcohol consumption has fallen.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

"There's a whiff of fatality in the air because of the polls."

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The Scottish Prison Service has admitted that the death of a man in custody was unlawful - 10 years on from the fatality.

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By contrast, left-wing extremist incidents, including those tied to anarchist or environmental movements, have made up about 10& to 15% of incidents and less than 5% of fatalities.

Read more on Salon

But in Kerala, survival appears to be improving: last year there were 39 cases with a 23% fatality rate and this year, nearly 70 cases have been reported with about 24.5% mortality.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• accident 
• casualty 
• disaster 
• mortality