Definition of mortality
1 : the quality or state of being mortal Her husband's death reminded her of her own mortality.
2 : the death of large numbers (as of people or animals) trying to reduce infant mortality
3 archaic : death
4 : the human race that natural extinction to which all mortality is subject — Thomas Paine
5a : the number of deaths in a given time or place The mortality among the infected mounted daily.b : the proportion of deaths to population a brain infection with a mortality rate of about 30 percent — Jane E. Brodyc : the number lost or the rate of loss or failure the mortality rate of small businesses
From the M-W Editors
Examples of mortality in a Sentence
a leading cause of mortality
Recent Examples of mortality from the Web
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And the couple’s fulfilled affection for each other, tinged with melancholy and World War I veteran Wimsey’s keen sense of mortality, is captured in the sweet rapport between Moore and Alyson Scadron Branner’s fond, graceful Harriet.
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Fort Worth and Tarrant County annually record some of the highest rates of child abuse and infant mortality in the state.
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Of the 35 countries that comprise the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the United States ranks 29th in infant mortality.
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The virus is highly contagious, but the mortality rate is low, officials said.
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Human Condition: All living things have one thing in common: mortality.
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The infant mortality rate on the reservation is the highest in the state of South Dakota.
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But if doctors wait too long, and the disease progresses too far, the patient’s transplant mortality chances grow too high.
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But the rapid pace at which the box programs have been adopted by states and hospitals worries some experts, who say the boxes have not yet been proven to be a safe infant sleep environment or an effective tool in reducing infant mortality.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'mortality'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Did You Know?
Young people tend to assume they will never die; but a person's sense of his or her mortality generally increases year by year, and often increases greatly after a serious accident or illness. Still, many people refuse to change behaviors that would improve their chances of living into old age. Mortality rates are calculated by government agencies, insurance companies, and medical researchers. Infant mortality rates (the rate at which infants die in childbirth) provide a good indicator of a country's overall health; in recent years, the rates in countries like Iceland, Singapore, and Japan have been much better than in the U.S.
15th Century
First Known Use of mortality
15th century
Other Biology Terms
MORTALITY Defined for English Language Learners
mortality
playDefinition of mortality for English Language Learners
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: the quality or state of being a person or thing that is alive and therefore certain to die : the quality or state of being mortal
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: the death of a person, animal, etc.
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: the number of deaths that occur in a particular time or place
Medical Dictionary
mortality
playMedical Definition of mortality
mortalities
1: the quality or state of being mortal
2a: the number of deaths in a given time or placeb: the proportion of deaths to population : death rate—called also mortality rate; compare fertility 2, morbidity 2
Learn More about mortality
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See words that rhyme with mortality Spanish Central: Translation of mortality Nglish: Translation of mortality for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of mortality for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about mortality
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