lethality

[ lee-thal-i-tee ]

noun

1. the capacity to cause great harm, destruction, or death:

   Many pathogens are self-limited by their own lethality—the host dies before it has a chance to spread the pathogen.

2. the likelihood of causing great harm, destruction, or death:

   Mutations can increase or decrease lethality, but most viruses mutate to less lethal forms.

3. death:

   Prion diseases, such as so-called “mad cow,” are characterized by neurodegeneration and lethality.

Word History and Origins

Origin of lethality¹

lethal ( def ) + -ity ( def )

Example Sentences

“Pete is dedicated to ensuring that our military is focused on lethality and readiness, not woke ideology,” Johnson said in a statement.

From Los Angeles Times

In his statement announcing Hegseth as his Defense secretary pick, the president-elect said the book “reveals the leftwing betrayal of our Warriors, and how we must return out Military to meritocracy, lethality, accountability, and excellence.”

From Los Angeles Times

He said the book The War on Warrior "reveals the leftwing betrayal of our warriors, and how we must return our military to meritocracy, lethality, accountability, and excellence".

From BBC

“But I think because of its lethality with no known treatments, the public health response is warranted — and the peak case rate is in August and September, but it rapidly goes down after that.”

From Salon

He vowed to increase the "lethality" of his force through modernisation and new technology, without the need for greater troop numbers.

From BBC