fatality

noun

fa·​tal·​i·​ty fā-ˈta-lə-tē 

fə-

plural fatalities

1

a

: the quality or state of causing death or destruction

b

: the quality or condition of being destined for disaster

2

: something established by fate

3

a

: fate sense 1

b

: fatalism

4

: the agent or agency of fate

5

a

: death resulting from a disaster

b

: one that experiences a fatal outcome

Synonyms

• casualty
• loss
• prey
• victim

Examples of fatality in a Sentence

The car crash caused one fatality and several serious injuries.

the grim reminder that every holiday weekend inevitably results in a slew of highway fatalities

Recent Examples on the Web

Authorities confirmed the fatality in a news briefing on Monday afternoon. —Charmaine Patterson, People.com, 11 Feb. 2025

That marks the most fatalities from the bacterial infection since a 2017 surge of the illness, which is also known as pertussis. —Alexander Tin, CBS News, 11 Feb. 2025

The fatality was first disclosed in an exposé published in 2023 by Reuters which documented at least six hundred previously unreported injuries at the company; its facility in Brownsville, Texas, had an injury rate six times higher than the industry average. —Eyal Press, The New Yorker, 10 Feb. 2025

The two deaths are the first two fire fatalities of 2025 in St. Paul. —Kristi Miller, Twin Cities, 9 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle French fatalité, from Late Latin fatalitat-, fatalitas, from Latin fatalis

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing fatality

• case fatality rate
• case fatality ratio
• fatality rate

Kids Definition

fatality

noun

fa·​tal·​i·​ty fā-ˈtal-ət-ē 

fə-

plural fatalities

: a death resulting from a disaster or accident

Medical Definition

fatality

noun

fa·​tal·​i·​ty fā-ˈtal-ət-ē, fə- 

plural fatalities

1

: the quality or state of causing death or destruction : deadliness

the degree of fatality of a disease

2

a

: death resulting from a disaster

a car crash causing several fatalities

b

: one who suffers such a death

one of the fatalities was a small child