mortality

American  

[mawr-tal-i-tee] / mɔrˈtæl ɪ ti /

noun

plural

mortalities

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.

Etymology

Origin of mortality

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

Example Sentences

The researchers also observed a U-shaped pattern for mortality, meaning both unusually low and unusually high eGFR percentiles were linked to an increased risk of death.

From Science Daily

According to the researchers, global aid—known as official development assistance—reduced child mortality by 39% from 2002-2021 in the 93 countries studied.

From Barron's

The statistic reflects the average number of years newborns are expected to live if mortality trends stay constant over their lifespans.

From The Wall Street Journal

Salt intake was estimated based on three 24-hour dietary recalls and combined with 2022 data from the national claims database, which includes information on hospitalizations, outpatient care, and mortality within France's health care system.

From Science Daily

"For me, there's a lifelong impact... it almost kind of brings your mortality into focus," she said.

From BBC

Related Words

• fatality