fatality

[ fey-tal-i-tee, fuh- ]

noun

, plural fa·tal·i·ties.

1. a disaster resulting in death.
2. a death resulting from such an occurrence:

   a rise in highway fatalities.

3. the quality of causing death or disaster; a fatal influence; deadliness.
4. predetermined liability to disaster, misfortune, etc.:

   a fatality for saying the wrong thing.

5. the quality of being predetermined by or subject to fate:

   There is a fatality in human affairs that leads to destruction.

6. the fate or destiny of a person or thing:

   Death is the ultimate fatality of all human beings.

7. a fixed, unalterably predetermined course of things; inevitability:

   to resign oneself to the fatality of life.

fatality

/ fəˈtælɪtɪ /

noun

1. an accident or disaster resulting in death
2. a person killed in an accident or disaster
3. the power of causing death or disaster; deadliness
4. the quality or condition of being fated
5. something caused or dictated by fate

Other Words From

• nonfa·tali·ty noun plural nonfatalities

Word History and Origins

Origin of fatality¹

From the Late Latin word fātālitās, dating back to 1480–90. See fatal, -ity

Example Sentences

She noted that since the late 1990s, when this current strain of bird flu originated in China’s Guangdong Province, the fatality rate was close to 60%.

From Los Angeles Times

The Breeders’ Cup hasn’t had a horse fatality since 2019, but recent safety improvements in the sport still haven’t brought an end to thoroughbred deaths.

From Los Angeles Times

He was the 37th fatality at the track since Dec. 30 of the previous year.

From Los Angeles Times

In the first half of 2024 there was one fatality and 17 serious injuries from accidents involving cyclists using their phones — the highest number since the police started recording such statistics in 2007.

From BBC

The case fatality rate for covid was around 1%.

From Salon

Related Words

• accident
• casualty
• disaster
• mortality