noun
fatality
fuh-TA-luh-tih
noun
1
A death caused by an accident, disaster, or violence.
"The storm caused widespread damage but no fatalities."
"Police reported three fatalities in the motorway pile-up."
2
(video games) A finishing move used to dramatically defeat an opponent.
"He pulled off a brutal fatality to end the Mortal Kombat match."
How to Use Fatality
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA death resulting from an accident or disaster, or a finishing move in a fighting game.
Common pairings
road fatality
the fatality count
zero fatalities
Word Forms
fatalities plural
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He pulled off a brutal _____ to end the Mortal Kombat match.
Etymology
From French fatalité, built from "fatal" plus "-ity"; the video-game sense comes from the Mortal Kombat series.