different between deadly vs mortiferous

English

Etymology

From Middle English dedly, dedlych, dedlich, from Old English d?adl?? (adjective); corresponding to dead +? -ly. Cognate with Dutch dodelijk, German tödlich.

The adverb is from Middle English dedliche, from Old English d?adl??e (adverb), from the adjective.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?d?d.li/

Adjective

deadly (comparative deadlier or more deadly, superlative deadliest or most deadly)

1. (obsolete, rare) Subject to death; mortal.
2. Causing death; lethal.
3. Aiming or willing to destroy; implacable; desperately hostile.
4. Very accurate (of aiming with a bow, firearm, etc.).
5. (informal) Very boring.
6. (informal) Excellent, awesome, cool.

Usage notes

In Australia, the sense "excellent, awesome, cool" is especially used by, or in connection with, Indigenous Australians.

Derived terms

• deadliness
• deadly sin

Translations

Adverb

deadly (comparative more deadly, superlative most deadly)

1. (obsolete) Fatally, mortally.
2. In a way which suggests death.

3. Extremely, incredibly.

Usage notes

Some adjectives commonly collocating with deadly: serious, clever, good

Derived terms

• fail-deadly

Translations

Related terms

• dead

English

Etymology

From Latin mortifer +? -ous.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /m???t?f???s/

Adjective

mortiferous (comparative more mortiferous, superlative most mortiferous)

1. (now rare) Causing spiritual death. [from 16th c.]
   • 2002, Colin Jones, The Great Nation, Penguin 2003, p. 140:

     Breton recruits were notorious for suffering from la nostalgie – a mortiferous form of homesickness.

2. Causing physical death; deadly, fatal, lethal. [from 16th c.]

Translations