lethal

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   Able to cause death; deadly.

   The snake's bite can be lethal if it is not treated quickly.

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Simplified etymology

Lethal comes from Latin lethum, an altered form of letum, “death.” Roman speakers reshaped the word under the influence of Greek Lēthē, “forgetfulness,” the name of the underworld river whose water made the dead forget their earthly lives.

Learned borrowing from Latin lētālis (“deadly, mortal, fatal”), improperly written lēthālis, from lētum (“death”), improperly written as lēthum, from a supposed connection with Ancient Greek λήθη (lḗthē, “oblivion, forgetfulness”).

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