lethality

American  

[lee-thal-i-tee] / liˈθæl ɪ ti /

Also lethalness

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.

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Etymology

Origin of lethality

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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lethality

In laboratory experiments, blocking E2F3 prevented tumor growth through a process known as "synthetic lethality."

From Science Daily ● Jul. 4, 2026

He added: "The navy plan will be a good one - dispersed lethality makes a lot of sense today".

From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026

That surge in lethality underscores the potency of the high-tech but cheaply made drones.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 24, 2026

An Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo that has caused at least 80 deaths has a "very high lethality rate" and no vaccine or specific treatment, the country's health minister warned Saturday.

From Barron's ● May 16, 2026

Although, by then, technological advances to conventional military capabilities seemed to be approaching the destructive power, or more precisely, the system lethality of nuclear weapons.

From Shock and Awe — Achieving Rapid Dominance by James P. Wade

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