# valar morghulis

> English word · Phrase

## Definitions
1. An expression used as an acknowledgement of human mortality and the inevitability of death.

## Etymology
Coined by American writer and television producer George R. R. Martin for use in his A Song of Ice and Fire fantasy novel series. The phrase valar morghūlis, which means all men must die in the fictional language of High Valyrian, is used as a greeting by the Faceless Men, a combination of a death cult and assassin's guild. The traditional response is valar dohaeris (“all men must serve”).

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