mortal

[ mawr-tl ]

/ ˈmɔr tl /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR mortal ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

subject to death; having a transitory life: all mortal creatures.

of or relating to human beings as subject to death; human: this mortal life.

belonging to this world.

deadly or implacable; relentless: a mortal enemy.

severe, dire, grievous, or bitter: in mortal fear.

causing or liable to cause death; fatal: a mortal wound.

to the death: mortal combat.

of or relating to death: the mortal hour.

involving spiritual death (opposed to venial): mortal sin.

long and wearisome.

extreme; very great: in a mortal hurry.

conceivable; possible: of no mortal value to the owners.

noun

a human being.

the condition of being subject to death.

Nearby words

Origin of mortal

1325–75; Middle English < Latin mortālis, equivalent to mort- (stem of mors) death + -ālis -al¹

SYNONYMS FOR mortal

6. See fatal.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR mortal ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

mor·tal·ly, adverbnon·mor·tal, adjective, nounnon·mor·tal·ly, adverbpost·mor·tal, adjective

post·mor·tal·ly, adverbpre·mor·tal, adjectivepre·mor·tal·ly, adverbun·mor·tal, adjective

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

Examples from the Web for mortal

While some of the patients had been seriously ill, many of them were not in mortal danger—at least not from their illnesses.
Why the Crisis in VA Hospitals Shames Our Country on Memorial Day|Jake Adelstein|May 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The stakes didn't seem high enough—largely because America no longer views Russia as its mortal enemy.
Why ‘The Americans’ Is the Best Spy Show on TV|Andrew Romano|February 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
On the other far end of the spectrum, admittedly, is the idea that our first president might have unsprung the mortal coil.
Was George Washington Among the Walking Dead?|Kevin Bleyer|January 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Yet each devoted his energies to matters of universal concern, and together they form a curious triptych on the mortal condition.
Three Great Men Died That Day: JFK, C.S. Lewis, and Aldous Huxley|John Garth|November 3, 2013|DAILY BEAST

But the Al-Shabab attackers were only able to kill the mortal part of him that he had in common with everybody.
Kofi Awoonor, the Ghanaian Poet Killed in Westgate Mall Attack|Michael Daly|September 24, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Did he die there because he was mortal and we leave Rivesaltes.
Geography and Plays|Gertrude Stein
All of these patiently endured all hardships leading down to the end of their mortal days.
Life in a Thousand Worlds|William Shuler Harris
She sobbed; he lifted her chin with his free hand—and what less could mortal apostle do?
The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol|William J. Locke
He took off his hat, and made me a lower bow than mortal had ever yet favoured me with.
Peter Schlemihl etc.|Adelbert Chamisso
There are, however, in the world a great many people who desire something more than the mere avoidance of mortal sin.
The Jesuits, 1534-1921|Thomas J. Campbell

British Dictionary definitions for mortal

mortal

/ (ˈmɔːtəl) /

adjective

(of living beings, esp human beings) subject to death

of or involving life or the world

ending in or causing death; fatala mortal blow

deadly or unrelentinga mortal enemy

of or like the fear of death; diremortal terror

great or very intensemortal pain

possiblethere was no mortal reason to go

slang long and tediousfor three mortal hours

noun

a mortal being

informal a persona mean mortal

Derived Formsmortally, adverb

Word Origin for mortal

C14: from Latin mortālis, from mors 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 mortal

mortal

adj.

mid-14c., "deadly," also "doomed to die," from Old French mortel "destined to die; deserving of death," from Latin mortalis "subject to death, mortal, of a mortal, human," from mors (genitive mortis) "death," from PIE base *mer- "to die," with derivatives referring to death and human beings" (cf. Sanskrit mrtih "death," martah "mortal man;" Avestan miryeite "dies," Old Persian martiya- "man;" Armenian meranim "die;" Latin mori "to die;" Lithuanian mirtis "mortal man;" Greek brotos "mortal" (hence ambrotos "immortal"); Old Church Slavonic mrutvu "dead;" Old Irish marb, Welsh marw "died;" Old English morþ "murder"). The most widespread Indo-European root for "to die," forming the common word for it except in Greek and Germanic. Watkins says it is "possibly" the same as PIE *mer- "rub, pound, wear away" (see morbid).

mortal

"mortal thing or substance," 1520s, from mortal (adj.). Latin mortalis also was used as a noun, "a man, mortal, human being."

Medicine definitions for mortal

mortal

[ môr′tl ]

adj.

Liable or subject to death.

Causing death; fatal.

mortal

adjective

noun

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Origin of mortal

Examples from the Web for mortal

mortal

adjective

noun

Word Origin for mortal

mortal

mortal

mortal

adj.