mortal

[mawr-tl]

adjective

1. subject to death; having a transitory life.

   all mortal creatures.

2. of or relating to human beings as subject to death; human.

   this mortal life.

3. belonging to this world.

4. deadly or implacable; relentless.

   a mortal enemy.

5. severe, dire, grievous, or bitter.

   in mortal fear.

6. causing or liable to cause death; fatal.

   a mortal wound.

7. to the death.

   mortal combat.

8. of or relating to death.

   the mortal hour.

9. involving spiritual death (venial ).

   mortal sin.

10. long and wearisome.

11. extreme; very great.

    in a mortal hurry.

12. conceivable; possible.

    of no mortal value to the owners.

noun

1. a human being.

2. the condition of being subject to death.

mortal

/ ˈmɔːtəl /

adjective

1. (of living beings, esp human beings) subject to death

2. of or involving life or the world

3. ending in or causing death; fatal

   a mortal blow

4. deadly or unrelenting

   a mortal enemy

5. of or like the fear of death; dire

   mortal terror

6. great or very intense

   mortal pain

7. possible

   there was no mortal reason to go

8. slang,  long and tedious

   for three mortal hours

noun

1. a mortal being

2. informal,  a person

   a mean mortal

Other Word Forms

• mortally adverb
• nonmortal adjective
• nonmortally adverb
• postmortal adjective
• postmortally adverb
• premortal adjective
• premortally adverb
• unmortal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of mortal¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English, Middle French mortal, mortel, from Latin mortālis, equivalent to mort- (stem of mors ) “death” + -ālis -al ¹; ambrosia ( def. ); murder ( def. ); murther ( def. )

Word History and Origins

Origin of mortal¹

C14: from Latin mortālis, from mors death

Synonym Study

See fatal.

Example Sentences

It’s an intriguing addition to the canon, but for mere mortals who haven’t survived abusive, plagiaristic and mystifying advisors to earn Oxbridge degrees — or even just bad bosses — it might be unrelatable.

From Los Angeles Times

His father’s religion told him it was a mortal sin.

From Los Angeles Times

"I had to face the fact that he was determined to destroy me. I was now engaged in mortal political combat with someone I knew to be both ruthless and highly effective," she writes.

From BBC

Look: Even the famous and powerful are mortal.

From Los Angeles Times

But on Tuesday he stressed that France - the eurozone's second economy - was "in mortal danger" of being crushed by debt.

From BBC

Related Words

• dire 
• fatal 
• grievous 
• grim 
• lethal 
• malignant 
• terrible