What does "mortal" mean?
Mortal: Destructive to life; causing or occasioning death; terminating life; exposing to or deserving death; deadly; as, a mortal wound; a mortal sin.
Additional senses
- 2.Fatally vulnerable; vital. Last of all, against himself he turns his sword, but missing the mortal place, with his poniard finishes the work. Milton.
- 3.Of or pertaining to the time of death. Safe in the hand of one disposing Power, Or in the natal or the mortal hour. Pope.
- 4.Affecting as if with power to kill; deathly. The nymph grew pale, and in a mortal fright. Dryden.
- 5.Human; belonging to man, who is mortal; as, mortal wit or knowledge; mortal power. The voice of God To mortal ear is dreadful. Milton.
- 6.Very painful or tedious; wearisome; as, a sermon lasting two mortal hours. [Colloq.] Sir W. Scott. Mortal foe, Mortal enemy, an inveterate, desperate, or implacable enemy; a foe bent on one's destruction.
- 7.A being subject to death; a human being; man. "Warn poor mortals left behind." Tickell.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00