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

Heat and drought have battered much of Europe this summer, fuelling a spike in heat-related mortality, wildfires, devastating many crops and dropping water levels in major rivers.

From Barron's ● Aug. 27, 2026

Each year, roughly 67,000 people in the US are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, which has the highest mortality rate of all major cancers, according to the American Cancer Society..

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026

Did you know that providing some childcare has been shown to reduce mortality for grandparents by 37%?

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 23, 2026

He has a vision of his own mortality while eating chicken wings.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

Now, thanks to the educational seminars and emergency care provided by the clinic’s volunteer staff, that mortality rate has been cut to less than one death per 30,000 trekkers.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer

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

As airplanes or boats pass and predators like polar bears appear, the walruses panic and stampede into the water, causing trampling-related mortalities.

From Salon ● Jan. 21, 2025

Gray whales seem to have gone through these more dramatic vacillations, enduring three different periods of major mortalities and bouncing back before the most recent five-year event.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 19, 2024

Avian flu become less acute in the UK in recent months, but it has caused mass mortalities of birds in other parts of the world.

From BBC ● Feb. 12, 2024

Cumulative mortalities of these previously unexposed peoples from Eurasian germs ranged from 50 percent to 100 percent.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Related Words

• fatality