A death resulting from an accident, disaster, or violent incident. The term can also refer to the quality of being destined to cause death or disaster.
From Latin 'fatalis' meaning 'decreed by fate' or 'deadly', derived from 'fatum' meaning 'fate' or 'doom'. The word entered Middle English through Old French 'fatalité' in the 14th century. Originally emphasized the concept of predetermined destiny, but evolved to focus more on death as an outcome.
The word fatality carries the ancient belief that death was controlled by fate rather than chance, reflecting how our ancestors viewed mortality as predetermined by higher powers. In modern usage, calling a death a 'fatality' rather than simply a 'death' often implies it was preventable, which is why it's commonly used in accident reports and safety statistics.
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