noun

mortality

/mɔrˈtælɪti/ · say it: mor·TAL·uh·tee

the rate of death in a population

In Medicine & Health

In more detail

1. (noun) the state of being subject to death; the fact that all living things must die

2. (noun) the number or rate of deaths in a particular population or from a particular cause

Examples

1. Human mortality has always been a theme in literature and philosophy.
2. The mortality rate from the disease has decreased significantly due to new treatments.

How to use mortality

Mortality can refer either to the universal human condition of being subject to death, often used in philosophical or literary contexts, or to measurable statistics about deaths in populations, common in medical, epidemiological, and public health discourse. When used to mean 'deaths in general,' it is more formal and abstract than the word death itself.

Common phrases

mortality rate
infant mortality
high mortality
mortality statistics
excess mortality
reduce mortality

Synonyms

death · fatality · mortality rate · transience · perishability

Opposites

immortality

Word family

mortal (adjective/noun) · mortally (adverb) · immortal (adjective) · immortality (noun)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse mortality with morbidity, which refers to disease or illness rather than death.

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