mortality rate

American  

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

noun

• mortality rates
  plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• mortality rates
  plural

Etymology

Origin of mortality rate

First recorded in 1860–65

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mortality rate

According to the report, there were about 689 deaths for every 100,000 people in 2025 — the lowest rate recorded since mortality rate tracking began.

From Salon ● Aug. 11, 2026

But the first weeks of a red panda’s life are fragile, with a mortality rate of roughly 40% for cubs under 1 year of age.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2026

The practice fell out of favor by the early 20th century, in part because of the reduced infant mortality rate.

From Slate ● Jul. 19, 2026

Paris mayor Emmanuel Grégoire said the mortality rate was on the rise in Paris, where temperatures have been high for several days.

From BBC ● Jun. 25, 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