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

In fact, a study published in the Journal of Health Economics found that the natural closure of low-performing rural hospitals can reduce patient mortality in the long run by channeling patients to better care options. —Ge Bai, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025

When people’s diet consisted of more than 18% UPFs, the risk of mortality began increasing. —Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 7 Sep. 2025

Likewise, as articulated by the American Public Health Association in a 2018 policy brief and a 2025 longitudinal study, research shows that excessive investment in policing — at the expense of social services — is correlated with higher suicide mortality and diminished community well-being. —Hansel Alejandro Aguilar, Mercury News, 6 Sep. 2025

Indeed, our paper finds that the rise in mortality was not solely due to perinatal or congenital issues and the time of birth. —Brad Greenwood, The Conversation, 5 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing mortality

• infant mortality
• mortality rate
• mortality table

Rhymes for mortality

• banality
• bestiality
• brutality
• carnality
• centrality
• chirality
• duality
• fatality
• finality
• formality
• frugality
• legality

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