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immortal

adj. · n.
US //ˌɪˈmɔɹtəɫ// UK //ɪmˈɔːtəl// im·mor·tal
  1. 1 living forever (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Religion

    living forever and never dying.

    exempt from death or mortality; living eternally.

    Example

    In many ancient stories, the gods are immortal and live on a high mountain.

    Example

    The myth describes a hero who sought an immortal existence, only to realise that eternal life without eternal youth was a curse.
  2. 2 famous forever (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    so famous or important that people will never forget them.

    deserving of or possessing everlasting fame; enduring through time.

    Example

    Shakespeare's immortal plays are still performed all over the world today.

    Example

    The composer achieved immortal fame with his final symphony, which remains a cornerstone of the classical repertoire centuries later.
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  1. 3 a being who lives forever (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Religion

    a being, like a god, who can never die.

    a being, typically a deity or supernatural entity, who is not subject to death.

    Example

    The Greeks believed that the immortals watched over the lives of humans.

    Example

    The epic poem contrasts the petty squabbles of the immortals with the tragic, brief lives of the soldiers on the battlefield.
  2. 4 a very famous person (n.)
    C1 Advanced Literary

    a person who is so famous in their field that they will always be remembered.

    a person of such eminence that their fame is considered enduring or permanent.

    Example

    The young player was delighted to be mentioned alongside the immortals of the game.

    Example

    By winning his fifth consecutive title, he secured his place among the sporting immortals.
Origin

From Latin immortālis, from prefix im- (“not”) (from in-) + mortālis (“mortal”) (from mors (“death”), combining form mort- + adjectival suffix -alis), equivalent to im- + mortal. Displaced native undeadly, from Old English undēadlīċ. The term referring to the Persian soldiers was a Calque of Ancient Greek ἀθάνατος (athánatos). One suggestion claimed that "Immortals" were named by the ancient Greeks because wounded soldiers were quickly replaced, while another claimed that it was because Greek informants confused Old Persian anauša- (“immortal, without death”) with Old Persian anūšiya- (“companion, royal bodyguard”).

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