lethal

[lee-thuh l]

adjective

of, relating to, or causing death; deadly; fatal: a lethal weapon; a lethal dose.

made or carried out to cause death: a lethal chamber; a lethal attack.

causing great harm or destruction: The disclosures were lethal to his candidacy.

Origin of lethal

1575–85; < Latin lētālis, equivalent to lēt(um) death + -ālis -al¹; spelling (hence pronunciation) with -h- by association with Greek lḗthē oblivion

Related formsle·thal·i·ty, le·thal·ness, nounle·thal·ly, adverbhy·per·le·thal, adjectivenon·le·thal, adjectivenon·le·thal·ly, adverbsem·i·le·thal, adjective

Synonyms for lethal

1. See fatal.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for hyper-lethal

lethal

adjective

able to cause or causing death

of or suggestive of death

Derived Formslethality (liːˈθælɪtɪ), nounlethally, adverb

Word Origin for lethal

C16: from Latin lēthālis, from lētum death

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for hyper-lethal

lethal

adj.

1580s, from Late Latin lethalis, alteration of Latin letalis "deadly, fatal," from letum "death," of uncertain origin. Form altered in Late Latin by association with lethe hydor "water of oblivion" in Hades in Greek mythology, from Greek lethe "forgetfulness."

hyper-lethal in Medicine

lethal

[lē′thəl]

adj.

Capable of causing death.

Of, relating to, or causing death.