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Deadliest: meaning, definitions and examples

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deadliest

 

[ ˈdɛdliest ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

most dangerous

The term 'deadliest' refers to something that is capable of causing the most death or destruction. It often describes events, situations, or elements that pose a significant threat to life. For example, deadliest can be used to describe natural disasters, weapons, or diseases that have resulted in the highest number of fatalities. This term emphasizes the severity and potential lethality of the subject it describes.

Synonyms

most destructive, most fatal, most harmful, most lethal.

Examples of usage

  • The deadliest hurricane struck the coast last summer.
  • Scientists are studying the deadliest viruses known to humanity.
  • Some of the deadliest animals on Earth are found in the ocean.
  • The film depicted the deadliest battle in history.

Translations

Translations of the word "deadliest" in other languages:

🇵🇹 mais mortal

🇮🇳 सबसे घातक

🇩🇪 tödlichste

🇮🇩 paling mematikan

🇺🇦 найсмертельніший

🇵🇱 najbardziej śmiertelny

🇯🇵 最も致命的な

🇫🇷 le plus meurtrier

🇪🇸 el más mortal

🇹🇷 en ölümcül

🇰🇷 가장 치명적인

🇸🇦 الأكثر فتكًا

🇨🇿 nejsmrtelnější

🇸🇰 najsmrtelnejší

🇨🇳 致命的

🇸🇮 najsmrtonosnejši

🇮🇸 dauðlegastur

🇰🇿 ең өлімге әкелетін

🇬🇪 ყველაზე საშიში

🇦🇿 ən ölümcül

🇲🇽 el más mortal

Etymology

The word 'deadliest' is derived from the adjective 'deadly', which itself comes from the Old English 'deadlic', meaning 'pertaining to death'. The suffix '-est' is a superlative marker in English, used to indicate the highest degree of a quality. This formation is common in English adjectives to denote the extreme of a quality, in this case, relating to death or causing death. The usage of 'deadly' can be traced back to the early Middle Ages, with the original concept broadly referring to anything that causes or leads to death. Over time, 'deadliest' evolved to emphasize the most fatal or lethal aspects of various contexts, whether related to diseases, conflicts, or other life-threatening scenarios.

Word Frequency Rank

At rank #28,561, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.