mortal
Americanadjective
-
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.
adjective
-
(of living beings, esp human beings) subject to death
-
of or involving life or the world
-
ending in or causing death; fatal
a mortal blow
-
deadly or unrelenting
a mortal enemy
-
of or like the fear of death; dire
mortal terror
-
great or very intense
mortal pain
-
possible
there was no mortal reason to go
-
slang long and tedious
for three mortal hours
noun
-
a mortal being
-
informal a person
a mean mortal
Synonym Usage
See fatal.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
nonmortaladjective
-
postmortaladjective
-
premortaladjective
-
unmortaladjective
-
mortallyadverb
-
nonmortallyadverb
-
postmortallyadverb
-
premortallyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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; see ambrosia ( def. ); murder ( def. ); murther ( def. )
Explanation
You are a mortal because you are mortal. This means that you are an individual destined to die because you are susceptible to death. The word mortal has one of the most ancient genealogies of any word in English or any other language. It is related to English words like "murder" and "mortuary," and to the French, Italian, Spanish, and Russian words for "death." Something that can kill you can also be described as mortal. If you're in mortal danger, you're in a deadly situation. Action heroes often think they are dealing their enemy a mortal blow, but sometimes the enemy manages to come back to life. People are called mortals because at some point, they die.
Vocabulary lists containing mortal
The Balcony Scene from "Romeo and Juliet"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Brown Girl Dreaming
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Purple Hibiscus
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
And, while it would be easier for you to slip this mortal coil and leave your assets in the hands of your sons to do with that money as they please, it’s your money.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 23, 2026
But lest anyone confuse him with a mortal, he followed up with a pair of goals to become the tournament’s all-time leading scorer.
From Slate • Jun. 22, 2026
An international footballer, yes, but in those moments of magic from the great man, just another mortal.
From BBC • Jun. 18, 2026
He’s also as mortal as the rest of us.
From Salon • May 24, 2026
Ishtar shines with the joy of battle, and she remembers what it is to be a goddess, to hold mortal fates in her hands.
From "City of the Plague God" by Sarwat Chadda
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.
