Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Causing or capable of causing death: Describes something that can result in the end of life.
   • Subject to death: Describes beings that are destined to die, not living forever.
   • Involving loss of divine grace or spiritual death: Used in a religious context to describe sins considered so grave they cause spiritual death.

2. Noun:

   • A human being: A person, especially when emphasizing their human nature and mortality.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • He suffered a mortal wound in the battle. (The wound was capable of causing his death.)
  • All mortal creatures must face the end of life. (All beings subject to death must face it.)
  • Pride is considered a mortal sin in some traditions. (It is a sin that involves spiritual death.)

• Noun:

  • We are mere mortals, prone to error. (We are human beings, not gods.)
  • The accident was a reminder to every mortal of life's fragility. (The accident reminded every person.)

Advanced Usage

• "mortal enemy": An enemy who is hated so intensely that the conflict is to the death.

  • The two kings were mortal enemies for decades.

• "mortal fear/terror": Extreme, paralyzing fear, as if facing death.

  • She felt a mortal terror when she heard the noise in the dark house.

• "mortal remains": A formal term for a dead body.

  • The soldier's mortal remains were returned to his family.

Variants and Related Words

• Mortality (n): The state of being subject to death; the death rate.

  • The mortality rate from the disease has decreased.

• Mortally (adv): In a way that causes death; fatally.

  • The soldier was mortally wounded.

• Immortal (adj): Opposite of mortal; living forever; not subject to death.

  • The gods were considered immortal.

Synonyms

• Adjective (fatal, deadly): lethal, terminal, deathly.
• Adjective (human): earthly, perishable.
• Noun (human): human, person, individual, soul.

Related Phrases

• In mortal danger: In a situation where there is a very high risk of death.

  • The climbers were in mortal danger during the storm.

• A mortal blow: An action or event that causes definitive defeat or destruction.

  • The scandal dealt a mortal blow to his political career.

Related Idioms

• "Shuffle off this mortal coil": A poetic idiom meaning to die.

  • He was not ready to shuffle off this mortal coil.

• "For one mortal moment": For a single, terrifying or crucial moment.

  • For one mortal moment, he thought he had lost everything.

Adjective

1. causing or capable of causing death
   • a fatal accident
   • a deadly enemy
   • mortal combat
   • a mortal illness
2. unrelenting and deadly
   • mortal enemy
3. involving loss of divine grace or spiritual death
   • the seven deadly sins
4. subject to death
   • mortal beings

Noun

1. a human being
   • there was too much for one person to do