Advertisement
Advertisement
mortality
[mawr-tal-i-tee]
noun
plural
mortalitiesthe state or condition of being subject to death; mortal character, nature, or existence.
the relative frequency of deaths in a specific population; death rate.
mortal beings collectively; humanity.
death or destruction on a large scale, as from war, plague, or famine.
Obsolete.death.
mortality
/ ɔːˈæɪɪ /
noun
the condition of being mortal
great loss of life, as in war or disaster
the number of deaths in a given period
mankind; humanity
an obsolete word for death
Word History and Origins
Origin of mortality1
Example Sentences
The mortality data it shared with the BBC indicates that the unit remains above the UK national average.
One can trace the “sickness” of children in bygone generations through child mortality statistics.
“We didn’t go on to the property because you have to have a hazmat suit. It forces you to consider your own mortality. Well, if I’m really lucky, I’ve got 10 years.”
Nigeria's "very high" maternal mortality rate is the result of a combination of a number of factors, according to Martin Dohlsten from the Nigeria office of the UN's children's organisation, Unicef.
“It is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, particularly in older adults, but it does affect other people, particularly those with underlying conditions, in younger age groups.”
Advertisement
Related Words
When To Use
In a medical context, the word mortality refers to relative frequency of deaths in a specific population or location (sometimes called the mortality rate), while the word morbidity refers to the incidence or prevalence of a disease in a specific population or location (sometimes called the morbidity rate).The related word cormorbidity is used in medical contexts to refer to the state of having multiple medical conditions at the same time.In this context, morbidity relates to sickness, while mortality relates to death.Both morbidity and mortality are also used in nontechnical ways. Morbidity is the noun form of the adjective morbid, which most commonly means excessively gloomy or having an unusual interest in dark subjects, like death. Morbidity, then, can be used to refer to the quality of having this interest, as in Her latest novel lacks the morbidity of her earlier works. Mortality, on the other hand, most commonly refers to the state or condition of being subject to death, as in Humans are aware of their own mortality. The opposite of this is immortality—unending life.Here’s an example of mortality and morbidity used correctly in the same sentence.Example: Studies show that while the morbidity in the region remains quite high, the mortality rate from the disease has continued to drop. Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between mortality and morbidity.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Browse