lethality

Also le·thal·ness

[lee-thal-i-tee]

noun

1. the capacity to cause great harm, destruction, or death.

   Many pathogens are self-limited by their own lethality—the host dies before it has a chance to spread the pathogen.

2. the likelihood of causing great harm, destruction, or death.

   Mutations can increase or decrease lethality, but most viruses mutate to less lethal forms.

3. death.

   Prion diseases, such as so-called “mad cow,” are characterized by neurodegeneration and lethality.

Word History and Origins

Origin of lethality¹

lethal ( def. ) + -ity ( def. )

Example Sentences

"The location will host a contingent of Qatari F-15s and pilots to enhance our combined training" as well as "increase lethality, interoperability," he said.

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The U.S. is building a “Qatari Emiri Air Force facility,” Hegseth said, “to enhance our combined training, increase the lethality and interoperability.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The location will host a contingent of Qatari F-15s and pilots to enhance our combined training, increase lethality, interoperability, it's just another example of our partnership.

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“The lethality and accessibility of firearms give abusers in suicidal crisis the ability to overpower and harm multiple people with little chance for intervention or survival,” according to the report.

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“The ‘war fighting’ and ‘lethality’ they plan is inside their own country and comes from conflicts inside their own minds,” Snyder wrote on social media.

Read more on Salon