mortality

American  

[mawr-tal-i-tee] / mɔrˈtæl ɪ ti /

noun

• mortalities
  plural

1. the state or condition of being subject to death; mortal character, nature, or existence.

2. the relative frequency of deaths in a specific population; death rate.

3. mortal beings collectively; humanity.

4. death or destruction on a large scale, as from war, plague, or famine.

5. Obsolete. death.

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mortality British  

/ mɔːˈtælɪtɪ /

noun

1. the condition of being mortal

2. great loss of life, as in war or disaster

3. the number of deaths in a given period

4. mankind; humanity

5. an obsolete word for death

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Usage

What’s the difference between mortality and morbidity? In a medical context, the word mortality refers to relative frequency of deaths in a specific population or location (sometimes called the mortality rate), while the word morbidity refers to the incidence or prevalence of a disease in a specific population or location (sometimes called the morbidity rate). The related word cormorbidity is used in medical contexts to refer to the state of having multiple medical conditions at the same time. In this context, morbidity relates to sickness, while mortality relates to death. Both morbidity and mortality are also used in nontechnical ways. Morbidity is the noun form of the adjective morbid, which most commonly means excessively gloomy or having an unusual interest in dark subjects, like death. Morbidity, then, can be used to refer to the quality of having this interest, as in Her latest novel lacks the morbidity of her earlier works. Mortality, on the other hand, most commonly refers to the state or condition of being subject to death, as in Humans are aware of their own mortality. The opposite of this is immortality—unending life. Here’s an example of mortality and morbidity used correctly in the same sentence. Example: Studies show that while the morbidity in the region remains quite high, the mortality rate from the disease has continued to drop. Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between mortality and morbidity.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• mortalities
  plural

Etymology

Origin of mortality

1300–50; Middle English mortalite < Middle French < Latin mortālitās. See mortal, -ity

Explanation

One of the most difficult things for a child is experiencing the death of a beloved pet; it's a hard lesson in mortality. Mortality is the quality of being mortal, or the reality of death. It's not easy for most people to come to terms with their own mortality, or the fact that they really will die someday. Mortality can refer to an individual or to a larger group of people, particularly when you're talking about the total number of deaths within a population, using the phrase mortality rate. The words mortality and mortal come from the Latin root mortis, or "death."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mortality mortalities

These can lead to a weakened immune system, increased mortality and aborted offspring.

From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026

"Abdominal obesity reduces circulating vitamin D, and that deficiency impairs the immune system, exacerbating the chronic inflammation caused by excess fat and drastically increasing the risk of mortality," Alexandre explains to Agência FAPESP.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 14, 2026

He has a vision of his own mortality while eating chicken wings.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

Life expectancy is an estimate of the average number of years a person might live based on a country’s mortality rates.

From Salon ● Aug. 11, 2026

At present neither infant mortality nor the birthrate runs high in the civilized areas of Gethen.

From "The Left Hand of Darkness" by Ursula K. Le Guin

Poaching and road mortalities are two further threats that need to be addressed to ensure the persistance of leopards in the landscapes.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 24, 2026

Platt and his colleagues waited several nail-biting days to hear about the assessed damage and potential mortalities of the monkeys.

From Salon ● Mar. 16, 2025

“The cause and impact of these mortalities remains unknown.”

From Los Angeles Times ● May 23, 2024

Avian flu become less acute in the UK in recent months, but it has caused mass mortalities of birds in other parts of the world.

From BBC ● Feb. 12, 2024

Cumulative mortalities of these previously unexposed peoples from Eurasian germs ranged from 50 percent to 100 percent.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Related Words

• fatality