mortality

noun

mor·​tal·​i·​ty mȯr-ˈta-lə-tē 

1

: the quality or state of being mortal

Her husband's death reminded her of her own mortality.

2

: the death of large numbers (as of people or animals)

trying to reduce infant mortality

3

archaic : death

4

: the human race

that natural extinction to which all mortality is subject

—Thomas Paine

5

a

: the number of deaths in a population during a given time or place : the proportion of deaths to population : mortality rate

The mortality among the infected mounted daily.

b

: the number lost or the rate of loss or failure

the mortality rate of small businesses

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Thoughts on Mortality

Young people tend to assume they will never die, but a person's sense of his or her mortality generally increases year by year, and often increases greatly after a serious accident or illness. Still, many people refuse to change behaviors that would improve their chances of living into old age. Mortality rates are calculated by government agencies, insurance companies, and medical researchers. Infant mortality rates (the rate at which infants die in childbirth) provide a good indicator of a country's overall health; in recent years, the rates in countries like Iceland, Singapore, and Japan have been much better than in the U.S.

Examples of mortality in a Sentence

a leading cause of mortality

Recent Examples on the Web

Fractures in older adults are a significant source of morbidity and mortality, as these injuries can lead to other complications including pneumonia, blood clots and skin ulcers from needing to be hospitalized and at bed rest after an injury. —Nina Shapiro, Forbes, 14 Dec. 2024

Her second solo album, a collection of baroque chamber folk, explores mortality with striking verve. —Stephen Kearse, TIME, 8 Dec. 2024

While the results are promising, researchers still do not fully understand how mass azithromycin distribution reduces child mortality. —Jess Craig, Vox, 5 Dec. 2024

The company offers three central reports: an overall biological age that predicts mortality, how individual organ systems are aging and your pace of aging. —David Oliver, USA TODAY, 4 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing mortality

• infant mortality
• mortality rate
• mortality table

Kids Definition

mortality

noun

mor·​tal·​i·​ty mȯr-ˈtal-ət-ē 

plural mortalities

1

: the quality or state of being mortal

2

: the death of large numbers (as of animals or people)

3

a

: the number of deaths in a given time or place

b

: the ratio of deaths occurring in a certain time in a given population to the number of individuals in the population

Medical Definition

mortality

noun

mor·​tal·​i·​ty mȯr-ˈtal-ət-ē 

plural mortalities

1

: the quality or state of being mortal

2

: the number of deaths in a population during a given time or place : the proportion of deaths to population : mortality rate compare morbidity sense 2