mortality rate

noun

plural mortality rates

: the ratio between deaths and individuals in a specified population and during a particular time period : the incidence of deaths in a given population during a defined time period (such as one year) that is typically expressed per 1000 or 100,000 individuals : death rate

an annual mortality rate of 15 deaths per 1000 people

Note: A crude mortality rate does not distinguish between specific causes of death or groups of individuals and measures the incidence of all deaths in a population during a given time period. More specific mortality rates are based on narrower categories of individuals or causes of death.

an infant mortality rate of 9 deaths per 1000 live births

mortality rates of lung cancer patients

infectious disease mortality rates

Examples of mortality rate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Like other countries in the region, maternal and neonatal mortality rates are high, and far too many infants require the special care of the neonatal department at CHUPB. —Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025

Regional mortality rates are highest in eastern Europe and sub-Saharan Africa. —Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Apr. 2025

But the researchers determined that the mortality rate of amniotic fluid embolism was as high as 46% in some cases, particularly when there was a co-occurring health issue or problem with the placenta. —Korin Miller, SELF, 8 Apr. 2025

Few studies are done on vegans, and their mortality rates are similar to those of vegetarians and people who occasionally eat meat. —Angelica Bottaro, Verywell Health, 1 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1855, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for mortality rate

• borosilicate
• decontaminate
• deoxycholate
• deteriorate
• differentiate
• diisocyanate
• dinoflagellate
• excommunicate
• incapacitate
• insubordinate
• intercorporate
• interpenetrate

Medical Definition

mortality rate

noun

: the ratio between deaths and individuals in a specified population and during a particular time period : the incidence of deaths in a given population during a defined time period (such as one year) that is typically expressed per 1000 or 100,000 individuals : death rate

an annual mortality rate of 15 deaths per 1000 people

Note: A crude mortality rate does not distinguish between specific causes of death or groups of individuals and measures the incidence of all deaths in a population during a given time period. More specific mortality rates are based on narrower categories of individuals or causes of death.

mortality rates of liver cancer patients

an infant mortality rate of 9 deaths per 1000 live births