Adjacent Words

Lethal definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

LE'THAL, a. [L. lethalis, mortal, from Gr. oblivion.] Deadly; mortal; fatal.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: of an instrument of certain death; "deadly poisons"; "lethal weapon"; "a lethal injection" [syn: deadly, lethal]

Merriam Webster's

I. adjective Etymology: Latin letalis, lethalis, from letum death Date: circa 1604 1. a. of, relating to, or causing death <death by lethal injection> b. capable of causing death <lethal chemicals> 2. gravely damaging or destructive ; devastating <a lethal attack on his reputation> 3. very potent or effective <a lethal fastball>; also having a high alcohol content <a lethal rum punch> Synonyms: see deadly • lethality noun • lethally adverb II. noun Date: 1917 1. an abnormality of genetic origin causing the death of the organism possessing it 2. lethal gene

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj. causing or sufficient to cause death. Phrases and idioms: lethal chamber a chamber in which animals may be killed painlessly with gas. lethal dose the amount of a toxic compound or drug that causes death in humans or animals. Derivatives: lethality n. lethally adv. Etymology: L let(h)alis f. letum death

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Lethal Leth"al (l[e^]th"[a^]l), n. [Lauric + ether + alcohol.] (Chem.) One of the higher alcohols of the paraffine series obtained from spermaceti as a white crystalline solid. It is so called because it occurs in the ethereal salt of lauric acid.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Lethal Le"thal (l[=e]"thal), a. [L. lethalis, letalis, fr. lethum, letum, death: cf. F. l['e]thal.] Deadly; mortal; fatal. ``The lethal blow.'' --W. Richardson. -- Le"thal*ly, adv.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

1. A substance that is lethal can kill people or animals. ...a lethal dose of sleeping pills. ADJ 2. If you describe something as lethal, you mean that it is capable of causing a lot of damage. Frost and wet are the lethal combination for plants. ADJ

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

a. (Rare.) Deadly, mortal, fatal.

Moby Thesaurus

baleful, baneful, brutal, corroding, corrosive, corrupting, corruptive, counterproductive, damaging, deadly, death-bringing, deathful, deathly, deleterious, destructive, detrimental, disadvantageous, disserviceable, distressing, fatal, feral, harmful, hurtful, injurious, internecine, killing, malefic, malevolent, malign, malignant, mischievous, mortal, noisome, noxious, ominous, pernicious, pestilent, pestilential, poisonous, prejudicial, savage, scatheful, toxic, venenate, veneniferous, venenous, venomous, vicious, virulent