# fatality

> English word · Noun · IPA /feɪˈtælɪti/ · frequency rank #23,537

## Definitions
1. The state proceeding from destiny; invincible necessity, superior to, and independent of, free and rational control.
2. Tendency to death, destruction or danger, as if by decree of fate.
3. That which is decreed by fate or which is fatal; a fatal event.
4. Death.
5. An accident that causes death.
6. A person killed.
7. A move used to deliver a coup de grâce to a defeated opponent.

## Etymology
From French fatalité. equivalent to fatal + -ity. The video game move sense was popularized by the Mortal Kombat series.

## Easily confused with
- **fatally** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fatality-vs-fatally)
- **futility** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fatality-vs-futility)
- **finality** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fatality-vs-finality)
- **facility** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/facility-vs-fatality)

## Common misspellings (12)
`aftality`, `faatlity`, `fatailty`, `fatalitty`, `fatalityy`, `fataliyt`, `fatallity`, `fataltiy`, `fatlaity`, `fattality`, `ffatality`, `ftaality`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/fatality