mortal
Americanadjective
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subject to death; having a transitory life.
all mortal creatures.
-
of or relating to human beings as subject to death; human.
this mortal life.
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belonging to this world.
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deadly or implacable; relentless.
a mortal enemy.
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severe, dire, grievous, or bitter.
in mortal fear.
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causing or liable to cause death; fatal.
a mortal wound.
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to the death.
mortal combat.
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of or relating to death.
the mortal hour.
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involving spiritual death (venial ).
mortal sin.
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long and wearisome.
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extreme; very great.
in a mortal hurry.
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conceivable; possible.
of no mortal value to the owners.
noun
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a human being.
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the condition of being subject to death.
adjective
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(of living beings, esp human beings) subject to death
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of or involving life or the world
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ending in or causing death; fatal
a mortal blow
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deadly or unrelenting
a mortal enemy
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of or like the fear of death; dire
mortal terror
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great or very intense
mortal pain
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possible
there was no mortal reason to go
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slang long and tedious
for three mortal hours
noun
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a mortal being
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informal a person
a mean mortal
Related Words
See fatal.
Other Word Forms
- mortally adverb
- nonmortal adjective
- nonmortally adverb
- postmortal adjective
- postmortally adverb
- premortal adjective
- premortally adverb
- unmortal adjective
Etymology
Origin of mortal
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English, Middle French mortal, mortel, from Latin mortālis, equivalent to mort- (stem of mors ) “death” + -ālis -al 1; ambrosia ( def. ); murder ( def. ); murther ( 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.
The 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence knew their expression of character placed them at mortal risk.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 19, 2026
"Maybe, by the time I shuffle off this mortal coil, there might be a little more awareness… of the need to bring things back together again," he says.
From BBC • Jan. 28, 2026
Like Donne, we can mine wisdom from the frailty of our mortal bodies—but be grateful that when the bell tolls for thee, plague, smallpox and typhus won’t be to blame.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 23, 2026
Many observers have professed confusion over how Good, an unarmed person, can somehow be seen as a mortal threat.
From Salon • Jan. 15, 2026
“When’s the last time you escaped to the mortal world? I was there a couple of years ago. I know the way! Besides, I understand what we’re facing up there. You don’t have a clue!”
From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan
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.
