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

These individuals have all been accounted for, and no injuries or fatalities have been recorded. —David Faris, Newsweek, 3 Nov. 2024

Racing fatalities became a national obsession as horses kept dying at Santa Anita. —John Cherwa, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2024

The fatality occurred after a tree fell on a vehicle. —Associated Press, TIME, 31 Oct. 2024

Vermont’s commitment to road safety is also noteworthy, with the seventh-fewest traffic fatalities per 100 million miles traveled. —Laura Begley Bloom, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024

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