mortality rate

[mawr-tal-i-tee reyt]

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.

mortality rate

noun

1. another term for death rate

Word History and Origins

Origin of mortality rate¹

First recorded in 1860–65

Example Sentences

People whose urinary arsenic levels fell from high to low had mortality rates that matched those who had consistently low exposure for the entire study.

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In a new video statement, Baroness Hallet said from August to December 2020, Wales had the "highest age standardised mortality rate of the four nations".

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On the other hand, decision making in Northern Ireland was described as "chaotic", while the Welsh government's approach resulted in the highest age-standardised mortality rate of the four nations between August and December 2020.

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Dozens of patients were put at risk after two of the UK's leading transplant centres continued fitting a heart device - despite knowing of concerns it had a higher mortality rate than its rival product.

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Infections in humans can cause severe disease with a high mortality rate, according to the World Health Organization, but the virus does not appear to move easily from person to person.

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