mortal English · revision 15378

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1374|origins=ine-pro *mer-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈmɔː.təl/ ''(UK)''; /ˈmɔɹ.təl/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|mortal]], [[bor|fro|mortal]] (also [[m|fro|mortel|t=destined to die]]) and directly [[la|mortālis|t=subject to death]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) from [[m|la|mors|t=death]] (stem mort-),^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) from [[ine-pro|*mer-|t=to rub away, harm; to die]],^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) also the source of [[grc|βροτός|tr=brotós|t=mortal]].^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Subject to death: about 1374 in the OED, about 1380 in Barnhart; deadly or grievous about 1370 in Barnhart; all first found in Chaucer.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Causing death, deadly, is from about 1385,^(OED 1989) now used only of diseases and wounds.^(OED 1989) Of a sin, deserving damnation, it is from the 15th century.^(Hoad 1986) Trench notes that the active sense, deadly, has nearly departed from mortal, while the passive has departed from [[deadly]].^(Trench 1859) The noun, a human being in contrast with an immortal, is from 1567,^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) used playfully for a person from 1718.^(OED 1989) As an intensive, ''every mortal thing'', it is colloquial and dialectal.^(AHD)^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1370 – deadly, grievous.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1374 – subject to death.^(OED 1989)

+ * 15th century – mortal sin.^(Hoad 1986)

+ * 1567 – a mortal (noun).^(OED 1989)

+ * 1718 – a person (playful).^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Subject to [[death]]; not immortal.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Causing death; [[fatal]]: ''a mortal wound''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Deadly or unrelenting: ''a mortal enemy''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Very great or intense: ''in mortal fear''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A human being, as opposed to a god.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[mortally]]

+ * [[nonmortal]]

+ * [[postmortal]]

+ * [[premortal]]

+ * [[mortality]]

+ * [[mortal sin]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[moribund]]

+ * [[immortal]]

+ * [[murder]]

+ * [[mortgage]]

+ * [[mortify]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}