Lethal definition

lēthəl

Causing or capable of causing death; fatal or deadly.

adjective

Causing or capable of causing death.

A lethal weapon.

adjective

adjective

(chemistry) One of the higher alcohols of the paraffine series obtained from spermaceti as a white crystalline solid.

noun

Extremely harmful; devastating.

Accusations lethal to the candidate's image.

adjective

The definition of lethal is something very harmful or destructive, especially something that could cause death.

A gun shot wound is an example of something that could be described as a lethal wound.

adjective

Origin of lethal

Late Latin lēthālis alteration (probably influenced by Lēthē Lethe) of Latin lētālis from lētum death

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
From Latin lÄ“tālis (“mortal, deadly"), improperly written lethalis, from letum (“death"), improperly written as lethum, as associated with Greek λήθη (lethe, “forgetfulness").

From Wiktionary
Abbreviation of “lauric acid ethereal salt", so called because it occurs in the ethereal salt of lauric acid.

From Wiktionary