# mortal

/ˈmɔɹtəɫ/ (US) · /mˈɔːtəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/mortal
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. subject to death

adjective · CEFR B2

living things that cannot live forever and will eventually die.

For teachers: subject to death; having a finite lifespan as a biological necessity.

- All living creatures are mortal and will one day pass away.
- The poet reflects on our mortal nature, contrasting the brief span of human life with the enduring beauty of the natural world.

### 2. causing death

adjective · CEFR B2

something that causes death, like a very serious wound or injury.

For teachers: causing or liable to cause death; fatal or lethal in effect.

- The soldier received a mortal wound during the final battle.
- The knight collapsed after sustaining a mortal blow that no physician of the era could hope to treat.

### 3. extreme or intense

adjective · CEFR C1 · Literary

used to describe a very strong feeling, like a great fear or a serious enemy.

For teachers: extreme, intense, or unrelenting; often used to describe human emotions or rivalries that last until death.

- The two families had been mortal enemies for many generations.
- He was seized by a mortal terror as the shadow moved across the window, paralyzing him where he stood.

### 4. very drunk

adjective · CEFR C2 · Slang · British English · Dialect

extremely drunk from drinking too much alcohol.

For teachers: highly intoxicated; a regional slang term used primarily in parts of the UK.

- He went out for one drink and ended up absolutely mortal.
- After the wedding reception, half the guests were completely mortal and had to be helped into taxis.

### 5. serious sin

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical · Formal

in some religions, a very serious wrong act that separates a person from God.

For teachers: denoting a grave sin that is believed to cause the death of grace in the soul.

- In the church's teaching, stealing a large amount of money is a mortal sin.
- The theologian argued that for a transgression to be considered a mortal sin, it must involve grave matter and full consent of the will.

### 6. a human being

noun · CEFR B2

a human being, especially when compared to a god or someone who lives forever.

For teachers: a human being, as distinct from a divine or immortal entity.

- The secret was too powerful for any mere mortal to know.
- The ancient myths often depict gods descending from the heavens to interfere in the messy affairs of ordinary mortals.

## Examples

- All humans are mortal.
- The hero of the story realizes he is mortal after a dangerous encounter with a wild animal.
- While the philosopher's ideas achieved a kind of immortality, his mortal body eventually succumbed to the passage of time like any other.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.