letal
lethal
adjective leh-TAHL Rare
Origin: From Latin letalis, from letum (death).
Also means
deadly
Usage Note
Letal is invariable for gender (same form for m/f); only the number changes: letales. It is the precise medical and legal term (dosis letal, lethal dose), while mortal is more common in everyday speech for 'deadly' or 'fatal'. Letal carries a clinical, deliberate tone that mortal does not always convey.
Examples
"Ingirió una dosis letal del veneno."
Natural Translation
He ingested a lethal dose of the poison.
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