Lethal
/ˈliːθəl/noun
Causing death or capable of causing death.
Did you know?The word comes from Greek lethe, the river of forgetfulness in the underworld, so its oldest sense is tied to what makes you forget life itself.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*leth-
“to hide, conceal, escape notice”
Ancient Greek
Greek
λήθη (lḗthē)
“forgetfulness, oblivion”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ληθικός (lēthikós)
“forgetful, causing forgetfulness”
Late Latin
Latin
letalis
“deadly, fatal”
Middle English
English
lethal
“deadly; causing death”
Modern English
English
lethal
“causing or capable of causing death”