mortality

American  

[mawr-tal-i-tee] / mɔrˈtæl ɪ ti /

noun

• mortalities
  plural

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.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• mortalities
  plural

Etymology

Origin of mortality

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

Explanation

One of the most difficult things for a child is experiencing the death of a beloved pet; it's a hard lesson in mortality. Mortality is the quality of being mortal, or the reality of death. It's not easy for most people to come to terms with their own mortality, or the fact that they really will die someday. Mortality can refer to an individual or to a larger group of people, particularly when you're talking about the total number of deaths within a population, using the phrase mortality rate. The words mortality and mortal come from the Latin root mortis, or "death."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mortality mortalities

He assumes both will keep their current age-specific fertility and mortality rates and net immigration of zero.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

However, the US-based Health Effects Institute estimated in a 2023 report that the mortality rate from air pollution in Albania is three times the European average.

From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026

"When diagnosed, it is often aggressive, presenting with late-stage disease and associated with high rates of disease relapse and mortality."

From Science Daily ● Oct. 6, 2026

Lowri Griffiths of Tenovus said incidence and mortality rates for gynaecological cancers in Wales were higher than the UK average - something she added the Welsh government needed "to get to grips with".

From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026

After decades of decline, black infant mortality began to soar in the 1980s, as did the rate of low-birthweight babies and parent abandonment.

From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt

Poaching and road mortalities are two further threats that need to be addressed to ensure the persistance of leopards in the landscapes.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 24, 2026

Platt and his colleagues waited several nail-biting days to hear about the assessed damage and potential mortalities of the monkeys.

From Salon ● Mar. 16, 2025

“The cause and impact of these mortalities remains unknown.”

From Los Angeles Times ● May 23, 2024

"In addition, production practices, and technology that is increasingly pushing production into riskier conditions and allowing for greater production per site may expose larger and larger populations of fish to conditions that cause mortalities."

From BBC ● Mar. 7, 2024

He says we as if there’s some future of us together where our respective mortalities will matter to each other.

From "The Sun Is Also a Star" by Nicola Yoon

Related Words

• fatality