mortality

American  

[mawr-tal-i-tee] / mɔrˈtæl ɪ ti /

noun

plural

mortalities

1. the state or condition of being subject to death; mortal character, nature, or existence.

2. the relative frequency of deaths in a specific population; death rate.

3. mortal beings collectively; humanity.

4. death or destruction on a large scale, as from war, plague, or famine.

5. Obsolete. death.

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mortality British  

/ mɔːˈtælɪtɪ /

noun

1. the condition of being mortal

2. great loss of life, as in war or disaster

3. the number of deaths in a given period

4. mankind; humanity

5. an obsolete word for death

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Usage

What’s the difference between mortality and morbidity? In a medical context, the word mortality refers to relative frequency of deaths in a specific population or location (sometimes called the mortality rate), while the word morbidity refers to the incidence or prevalence of a disease in a specific population or location (sometimes called the morbidity rate).The related word cormorbidity is used in medical contexts to refer to the state of having multiple medical conditions at the same time.In this context, morbidity relates to sickness, while mortality relates to death.Both morbidity and mortality are also used in nontechnical ways. Morbidity is the noun form of the adjective morbid, which most commonly means excessively gloomy or having an unusual interest in dark subjects, like death. Morbidity, then, can be used to refer to the quality of having this interest, as in Her latest novel lacks the morbidity of her earlier works. Mortality, on the other hand, most commonly refers to the state or condition of being subject to death, as in Humans are aware of their own mortality. The opposite of this is immortality—unending life.Here’s an example of mortality and morbidity used correctly in the same sentence.Example: Studies show that while the morbidity in the region remains quite high, the mortality rate from the disease has continued to drop. Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between mortality and morbidity.

Etymology

Origin of mortality

1300–50; Middle English mortalite < Middle French < Latin mortālitās. See mortal, -ity

Example Sentences

Flegal has faced criticism for research that found people with a BMI between 30 and 34.9, which is considered obese, had lower mortality rates than people who were considered overweight.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 18, 2026

Segal never loses her equipoise, or her sense of humor, in these most extreme confrontations with mortality.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026

“Even though it’s much more rare, the mortality rate for men is 19% higher for breast cancer than for women,” says Ambrose.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 17, 2026

To illustrate some of the arguments, we have spoken with two women who have been confronted with their own mortality and want to influence the debate in fundamentally different ways.

From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026

I’d like to show how “intimations of mortality brought on by aging family members” connects with “the hatred of mirrors that begins in middle age.”

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

Related Words

• fatality