noun
fatality
fay-TAL-uh-tee/feɪˈtæləti/
A death resulting from a harmful event or condition.
The sheet-covered body beside the crashed car marks a fatality in the accident.
Etymology
Built on an adjective meaning deadly, fatality first named the quality of causing death. Its use for a death-producing occurrence connects that abstract quality with the concrete sense of a death caused by an accident or violence.
In context
35 lives were lost 13 passengers and 22 crew members out of the 97 people on board there was even one additional fatality on the ground
More examples
- The fire caused several injuries but no fatalities.
- Doctors work to prevent fatalities from the infection.
- Last year's flood resulted in three fatalities.
Forms
fatality · fatalities
fatal adjective — Causing or capable of causing death.
fatally adverb — In a way that causes death.
Similar words
- death
- A broader term, including deaths from any cause.
- casualty
- Can mean someone injured or killed, especially in conflict.