mortal
/ˈmɔːtəl/
The word carries a heavy sense of fragility and inevitability. When describing life, it evokes the contrast between the ephemeral nature of humans and the timelessness of gods or nature. In its 'fatal' sense, it describes an injury or blow from which there is no recovery. It feels more absolute and final than 'serious' or 'critical'. When used to describe emotions like fear or enmity, it suggests a level of intensity that consumes the entire person, implying that the conflict or terror is so great it could lead to death.
Countable when referring to an individual human being (a mortal). Uncountable when referring to the general quality of being subject to death (mortality).
💬Casual Conversation
David wants those mocks by 5. He's actually losing it.
Tell him I'm just a mere mortal and can't pull off miracles on no sleep.
Meanings
Etymology
Derived from the Old French word mortel, which stems from the Latin root mortalis, meaning subject to death. This is further rooted in the Latin word mors, meaning death, and the Proto-Indo-European root mer, which signifies the act of dying. Over centuries, the term evolved from a purely biological description of life's end to a broader philosophical distinction between human existence and divine immortality.