lethality
/lēˈthalətē/ (ame, mw)
lethality — noun
1. how easily something such as a poison, virus, or weapon can cause death
how easily something such as a poison, virus, or weapon can cause death
Lab tests measured the lethality of the pesticide before farmers used it.
pattern: the lethality of [substance]
Doctors worried about the virus's lethality after three patients died overnight.
collocation: virus's lethality
Experts compared the lethality of two snake venoms found near the village.
Safety rules were tightened when tests revealed the gas's lethality.
Dr. Park discussed the poison's lethality at the hospital meeting.
- deadliness
very close in meaning, but this word is less technical and sounds more everyday
- toxicity
narrower; usually about poisonous substances or harmful chemical effects
- danger
much broader; something can be dangerous without being likely to kill
- harmlessness
the quality of not causing injury or death
文法句型
the lethality of [something]
measure lethality
reduce lethality
用法筆記
Usually uncountable and most common in scientific, medical, military, and safety writing. It often appears in patterns such as 'the lethality of the gas' when people compare how likely different dangers are to kill.