Word
mortality
Phoneticsmor·tal·i·ty, stress on the second syllable
US/mɔɹˈtæɫəti/
UK/mɔːtˈælɪti/
Definitions
01the state of being mortal
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. the fact that you will eventually die and cannot live forever.
n. the condition of being subject to death; the finite nature of human or biological existence.
“After his 80th birthday, he began to think more about his own mortality.”
“The poet explores the theme of human mortality, contrasting our brief lives with the enduring beauty of the natural world.”
Usage
Often used in philosophical or personal contexts regarding the end of life.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02death rate
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Science Academic · Technical
n. the number of deaths that happen in a particular period or among a particular group of people.
n. the relative frequency of deaths in a specific population; often expressed as a statistical rate.
“The country has seen a significant drop in infant mortality over the last decade.”
“Epidemiologists noted a sharp increase in mortality among the elderly population during the unusually harsh winter months.”
Usage
Commonly appears in the compound 'mortality rate'.
Teaching tip
This sense is very common in news reports about health, medicine, and sociology.
Synonyms
03humanity collectively
C2 · Proficiency Uncountable noun Archaic · Literary
n. a word for all human beings, because we all eventually die.
n. human beings considered collectively as mortal creatures.
“The old stories tell of a time when the gods walked among mortality.”
“The king believed himself superior to the rest of mortality, forgetting that he too was bound by the laws of nature.”
Usage
Used as a collective noun, often in older literature.
Teaching tip
Modern speakers rarely use this; it is mostly found in 18th or 19th-century texts.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “mortality” in context.
Real-World Examples
“Researchers estimate that mortality rates among patients with the condition are more than twice that of the general population.” “In the protected environment of the park, mortality among the carnivores is largely driven by natural dynamics: wolves killing each other.” Etymology
From Old French mortalite, from Latin mortālitās, from mortālis (“relating to death”), from mors (“death”); equivalent to mortal + -ity.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/mortality