mortality rate

American  

[mawr-tal-i-tee reyt] / mɔrˈtæl ɪ ti ˌreɪt /

noun

1. the relative frequency of deaths in a specific population during a specified time, often cited as the percentage of human deaths during a public health crisis, or of wildlife deaths due to environmental perils.

   Patients over the age of 80 had the highest mortality rate during the last flu season.

   The mortality rate of the bald eagle falls to about 25 percent after the first year of life.

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mortality rate British  

noun

1. another term for death rate

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Etymology

Origin of mortality rate

First recorded in 1860–65

Example Sentences

The incubation period is between two and 21 days, and the mortality rate in past Bundibugyo outbreaks was between 30% and 50%.

From MarketWatch • May 17, 2026

Faster chair stand performance was also linked to improved survival, with a 4% lower mortality rate for every 6-second improvement from the slowest to the fastest times.

From Science Daily • May 12, 2026

It’s easy to get distracted by hantavirus’s mortality rate, which can reach up to 50%.

From Barron's • May 8, 2026

Lorne and Christian are among those who have survived hantavirus, of which some strains can have a mortality rate of 20% to 40%.

From BBC • May 7, 2026

At his doctor’s suggestion, Miele enrolled in a three- month monitored exercise program for heart disease patients, called cardiac rehab, which has been shown to reduce the mortality rate among heart patients by 20 percent.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times