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mortality Definition

mor·tal·ity (môr tal′ə tē)

noun

  1. the condition of being mortal; esp., the nature of a human being, as having eventually to die
  2. death on a large scale, as from disease or war
    1. the proportion of deaths to the population of a region, nation, etc.; death rate
    2. the death rate from a particular disease
  4. the number or proportion that fail the high mortality of first-year students
  5. human beings collectively
  6. Obsolete death

Etymology: ME mortalite < OFr < L mortalitas < mortalis, mortal

mortality Synonyms

mortality

n.

  1. Destruction

    dying, extinction, fatality; see death 1, destruction 1.

  2. Humanity

    being, mankind, human race; see man 1.

mortality Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • reduce: The target is to reduce maternal mortality by three-quarters.
  • decrease: This study was designed to assess whether prophylactic surgery decreased the long-term mortality for small aneurysms.

Adjective modifier

  • maternal: The target is to reduce maternal mortality by three-quarters.
  • perinatal: Home births in England and Wales perinatal mortality according to intended place of delivery.
  • infant: Infant mortality in the region has fallen from 44 per 1,000 live births in 1987 to 35 in 1993.
  • all-cause: The outcome measure of interest was mortality, which was reported as all-cause mortality in most trials and sudden cardiac death in some trials.
  • premature: The impact of HIV/AIDS is expected to more than double the burden of premature mortality by the year 2010.
  • neonatal: Figure 2.2 shows the infant, perinatal and neonatal mortality in Lothian, year on year, since 1992.

Modifies a noun

  • rate: The infant mortality rate had stood at 121 per 1,000 live births.
  • ratio: Goal 5: Improve Maternal Health Reduce by three quarters, between 1990 and 2015, the maternal mortality ratio.
  • statistic: Source: Mortality statistics 2002 [ Office for National Statistics.

Noun used with modifier

  • all-cause: Main outcome measures: Coronary heart disease and all-cause mortality until 1999.
  • infant: In 1901 infant mortality was 142 deaths per 1000 live births.
  • childhood: Children can't fly: a program to prevent childhood mortality from window falls.
  • cancer: West Hertfordshire has a colorectal cancer mortality rate in the under 75 year olds that is lower than the average for England.
  • calf: There are no accurate figures on calf mortality rates available.

Preposition: in

  • metropolis: Future topics arising from the ' Mortality in the metropolis ' project have also been identified.

Preposition: by

  • two-third: Only one country is on track to reduce infant mortality by two-thirds by 2015.
  • three-quarter: The target is to reduce maternal mortality by three-quarters.
mortality Quotes

Death and pain dominate this world, for though many are cured, they leave still weak, still tremulous, still knowing mortality has whispered to them; have seen in the folding of white bedspreads according to rule the starched pleats of a shroud.

—Levertov, Denise

Morality which is based on ideas, or on an ideal, is an unmitigated evil.

—Lawrence, D(avid) H(erbert)

Old mortality, the ruins of forgotten times.

—Browne, SirThomas

   I've heard the wolves scuffle, and said: So this Is man; soöwhat better conclusion is thereö The day will not follow night, and the heart Of man has a little dignity, but less patience Than a wolf's, and a duller sense that cannot Smell its own mortality.

—Tate, (John Orley) Allen