lethal
Americanadjective
-
able to cause or causing death
-
of or suggestive of death
Related Words
See fatal.
Other Word Forms
- hyperlethal adjective
- lethality noun
- lethally adverb
- lethalness noun
- nonlethal adjective
- nonlethally adverb
- semilethal adjective
Etymology
Origin of lethal
First recorded in 1575–85; from Latin lētālis, equivalent to lēt(um) “death” + -ālis -al 1; spelling (hence pronunciation) with -h- by association with Greek lḗthē “oblivion”; Lethe ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“While it does not make the lethal decision-making for selecting and approving targets, Palantir’s Maven system assists the US military operators with making more informed decisions for military operations,” wrote Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives.
From Barron's
Higher energy prices have the potential to cause stagflation —a lethal combination of higher inflation and lower growth that would likely undermine businesses’ bottom lines.
From Barron's
Higher energy prices have the potential to cause stagflation —a lethal combination of higher inflation and lower growth that would likely undermine businesses’ bottom lines.
From Barron's
Yet, in a narrow waterway like the Strait of Hormuz, they could prove lethal to warships—and tankers.
Good thrillers need a villain that is elusive, relentless and lethal.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
