fatality

American  

[fey-tal-i-tee, fuh-] / feɪˈtæl ɪ ti, fə- /

noun

• fatalities
  plural

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.

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fatality British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonfatality
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• fatalities
  plural

Etymology

Origin of fatality

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

Explanation

If you hear on your car radio that there has been a traffic accident up ahead with one fatality, you should be very thankful you were not involved. A fatality is, quite simply and grimly, a human death. You will often hear fatality used in conjunction with the aftermath of a disaster, natural or otherwise. For example, a news broadcaster may say, "We have received reports of at least one fatality as a result of the storm." Fatality has its roots in the Latin word fatalis, meaning "decreed by fate." When it comes to fatality, being in the wrong place at the wrong time can certainly be ill-fated.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fatality fatalities

As of 30 July, there were 3,605 confirmed cases including 1,587 deaths - a fatality rate of 44%.

From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026

The storm’s one recorded fatality died overnight, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said Thursday, adding that about 80 rescues have been made.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026

Thousands died, according to estimates, though officials never declared an official fatality count.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026

According to the latest official figures, more than 1,000 cases have been recorded, including 267 deaths, representing a fatality rate of around 25 percent.

From Barron's ● Jun. 24, 2026

Yes, that was ever the hour of fatality at Thornfield.

From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë

The Norwalk intersection had 12 severe crashes in 2023 alone, including two fatalities, Hahn wrote in her 2024 statement.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026

The deaths mark Pennsylvania’s first measles-related fatalities in 35 years.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026

As of last week, there had been 30 human cases of the virus and three fatalities across the state, according to the California Department of Public Health.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026

Dnipropetrovsk regional head Oleksandr Hanzha said on Friday evening that there were now 15 confirmed fatalities, including two people who died later in hospital.

From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026

There are no official reports as yet of injuries or fatalities.

From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee

Related Words

• accident
• casualty
• disaster
• mortality