fatal

/ˈfā-tᵊl/

Middle English, from Latin fatalis, from fatum fate

adjective

  1. causing death

  2. bringing ruin

  3. causing failure

a fatal crash

a fatal attraction to gambling

deadly mortal fatal lethal mean causing or capable of causing death. deadly applies to an established or very likely cause of death. mortal implies that death has occurred or is inevitable.

idiom

  1. to hit (someone or something) so as to cause harm —usually used figuratively

He dealt his enemy a mighty blow.