fatality
- 01 C1 Advanced
a death that happens because of an accident, a war, or a natural disaster.
a death resulting from a specific incident, such as a collision, natural catastrophe, or armed conflict.
Simple“The police reported that there were no fatalities in the highway accident.”
In context“Emergency services confirmed several fatalities following the structural collapse, though the exact number of victims remains unverified.”
UsageOften used in the plural when discussing statistics or official reports.
Teacher's tipLearners should note that 'fatality' is more formal and clinical than 'death'; it is the standard term for news reports and safety documents.
PitfallThe car crash had three fatalities. There were three fatalities in the car crash.While 'fatality' can mean the person who died, it is more common in formal English to say there 'were fatalities' rather than a crash 'having' them.
- 02 C2 Proficiency
the power of something to cause death.
the quality or state of being fatal; the capacity of a disease or condition to result in death.
Simple“Doctors are worried about the high fatality rate of the new virus.”
In context“The study examined the fatality of the pathogen across different age groups to determine which populations required urgent vaccination.”
UsageCommonly appears in the phrase 'fatality rate'.
Teacher's tipIn medical and scientific contexts, this refers to the 'deadliness' of a condition rather than a specific person who died.
SynonymslethalitydeadlinessAntonymsharmlessness - 03 C2 Proficiency
the idea that events are decided by fate and cannot be changed.
the state of being determined by destiny or invincible necessity; the quality of being inevitable.
Simple“He felt a sense of fatality, as if he could not avoid his problems.”
In context“The protagonist's journey is marked by a grim sense of fatality, suggesting that his eventual downfall was written in the stars.”
Teacher's tipThis sense is rare in modern conversation and is mostly found in older literature or philosophical discussions about free will.
SynonymsAntonymschoicefree will
Usage fatality rate
“Tsunami warnings covered parts of East and West Nusa Tenggara, South Sulawesi, and Southeast Sulawesi; no immediate fatalities were reported.”
“Congolese authorities reported 4,449 confirmed cases and 2,061 deaths as of Tuesday – a fatality rate of 46 per cent .”
From French fatalité. equivalent to fatal + -ity. The video game move sense was popularized by the Mortal Kombat series.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.