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Deathlike: meaning, definitions and examples

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deathlike

 

[ ˈdɛθˌlaɪk ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

state of being

Deathlike describes a state resembling death, where something is lifeless or devoid of vitality. It can also be used to characterize a profound stillness or silence similar to that of death.

Synonyms

inanimate, lifeless, motionless, quiet

Examples of usage

  • The room fell into a deathlike silence after the announcement.
  • He lay in a deathlike slumber, unresponsive to the world around him.
  • The once vibrant garden now stood in a deathlike stillness.

Translations

Translations of the word "deathlike" in other languages:

🇵🇹 morte

🇮🇳 मृतक समान

🇩🇪 totenähnlich

🇮🇩 seperti kematian

🇺🇦 смертельний

🇵🇱 przypominający śmierć

🇯🇵 死に似た

🇫🇷 mortel

🇪🇸 similar a la muerte

🇹🇷 ölü gibi

🇰🇷 죽음 같은

🇸🇦 مثل الموت

🇨🇿 připomínající smrt

🇸🇰 pripomínajúci smrť

🇨🇳 像死亡的

🇸🇮 smrtnik

🇮🇸 dauða líkandi

🇰🇿 өлгендей

🇬🇪 მკვდრის მსგავსი

🇦🇿 ölümə bənzər

🇲🇽 similar a la muerte

Etymology

The word 'deathlike' is a compound adjective formed by combining 'death' and 'like'. The term 'death' originates from the Old English 'deað', which is akin to the Gothic 'dauthus' and the Old High German 'tod'. This root is linked to the Proto-Germanic *dauthus, meaning 'death'. The element 'like', which comes from Old English 'gelic', denotes resemblance or similarity, deriving from the Proto-Germanic root *jaldiz. The fusion of these two components creates a word that evokes the quality or appearance of death, a usage that has evolved over centuries to express not just the finality of life but also states or conditions that seem void of life or vibrancy.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #35,035, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.