fatality

noun

fa·​tal·​i·​ty fā-ˈta-lə-tē 

fə-

plural fatalities

1

a

: the quality or state of causing death or destruction

b

: the quality or condition of being destined for disaster

2

: something established by fate

3

a

: fate sense 1

b

: fatalism

4

: the agent or agency of fate

5

a

: death resulting from a disaster

b

: one that experiences a fatal outcome

Synonyms

• victim
• casualty

Examples of fatality in a Sentence

The car crash caused one fatality and several serious injuries.

the grim reminder that every holiday weekend inevitably results in a slew of highway fatalities

Recent Examples on the Web

Kerrville, the largest city in Kerr County, is roughly 100 miles west of Austin and 65 miles northwest of San Antonio. Kerr County reported the highest number of fatalities from the floods as of Monday afternoon. —July 7, CBS News, 7 July 2025

Death caps are the most lethal mushrooms on the planet, responsible for some 90 percent of all fatalities due to consuming toxic fungi. —Preston Fore, Fortune, 7 July 2025

Approximately 84% of these fatalities occurred among males. —Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 July 2025

By far, the greatest number of fatalities occurred in Kerr County, where 85 people are believed to be dead, according to officials, including 27 children. —Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 7 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle French fatalité, from Late Latin fatalitat-, fatalitas, from Latin fatalis

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing fatality

• case fatality rate
• case fatality ratio
• fatality rate

Rhymes for fatality

• banality
• bestiality
• brutality
• carnality
• centrality
• chirality
• duality
• finality
• formality
• frugality
• legality
• lethality

Kids Definition

fatality

noun

fa·​tal·​i·​ty fā-ˈtal-ət-ē 

fə-

plural fatalities

: a death resulting from a disaster or accident

Medical Definition

fatality

noun

fa·​tal·​i·​ty fā-ˈtal-ət-ē, fə- 

plural fatalities

1

: the quality or state of causing death or destruction : deadliness

the degree of fatality of a disease

2

a

: death resulting from a disaster

a car crash causing several fatalities

b

: one who suffers such a death

one of the fatalities was a small child