fatal — causing death or leading to failure or disaster
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: causing death or leading to failure or disaster
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈfeɪtl/
Example Sentences
- His fatal flaw was checking his ex's Instagram stories at 3 AM.
- The doctor said the patient's condition is not fatal.
- Eating mom's expired kimchi proved to be a fatal decision for the family dinner.
fatal
ADJECTIVE[/ˈfeɪtl/]
causing death or leading to failure or disaster

The giant warrior collapsed after a fatal bite from the tiny snake.

FATE(destiny) + AL(suffix) — a fatal event is a dark destiny you cannot escape.

The tiny bug caused a total system shutdown, proving to be a fatal error.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Latin 'fatalis' meaning 'of or pertaining to fate,' derived from 'fatum' (fate, destiny). The word entered English through Old French and has been used since the 14th century to describe something destined to cause death or ruin.
Breakdown
fate (Latin fatum, destiny) + -al (adjective suffix meaning 'of or pertaining to') = fatal (adjective meaning destined to cause death or failure)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“His fatal flaw was checking his ex's Instagram stories at 3 AM.”
“The doctor said the patient's condition is not fatal.”
“Eating mom's expired kimchi proved to be a fatal decision for the family dinner.”
“The company's fatal error was ignoring customer feedback.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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