immortal

From Latin immortālis, from prefix im- (“not”) (from in-) + mortālis (“mortal”) (from mors (“death”), combining form mort- + adjectival suffix -alis), equivalent to im- +‎ mortal. Displaced native undeadly, from Old English undēadlīċ.

The term referring to the Persian soldiers was a Calque of Ancient Greek ἀθάνατος (athánatos). One suggestion claimed that "Immortals" were named by the ancient Greeks because wounded soldiers were quickly replaced, while another claimed that it was because Greek informants confused Old Persian *anauša- (“immortal, without death”) with Old Persian *anūšiya- (“companion, royal bodyguard”).

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ɪˈmɔɹtəl/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ɪˈmɔːtəl/
• Hyphenation: im‧mor‧tal

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)təl

immortal (not comparable)

1. Not susceptible to death; living forever; never dying.
2. Never to be forgotten; that merits being always remembered.

   his immortal words

3. Connected with or relating to immortality.
   • c. 1606–1607 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii]:

     I have immortal longings in me.

4. (obsolete) Exceedingly great; excessive; grievous.
   • 1603, John Hayward, The Right of Succession Asserted:

     immortal and mercyless butchery

• deathless
• everlasting
• undeadly
• undying

• mortal

• (never dying): indestructible, unabolishable, unextinguishable
• (being always remembered): unerasable

immortal (plural immortals)

1. One who is not susceptible to death.
   • 2018 May 28, Claire Messud, “Turning Circe Into a Good Witch”, in The New York Times‎^[1]:

     The brutal insouciance of her fellow immortals — whether her sharp-tongued mother, Perse; or chilly Hermes; or righteous Athena enraged — proves increasingly alien to this thoughtful and compassionate woman who learns to love unselfishly.

2. A preeminent or exemplary person or thing; a paragon.
   1. (chess) A game of chess of especially high quality and entertainment, regarded as one of the best in history.

      Anand's Immortal

3. A member of an elite regiment of the Persian army.
4. A member of the Académie française.
5. (Internet) An administrator of a multi-user dungeon.

   Synonyms: immort, wizard

   • 1999, Corey Crawford, “RECRUITING: [circle] Tazmania/Middle Sphere: Admin, Builders, Immortals”, in rec.games.mud.announce (Usenet):

     Tazmania/Middle Sphere is in need of builders, admin, and immortals. […] Immortals do not need experiance^[sic].

• mortal
• mortality
• mortician

• Persian Immortals on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Académie française on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Borrowed from Latin immortālis.

• IPA^(key): (Central) [im.murˈtal]
• IPA^(key): (Balearic) [im.morˈtal]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [im.moɾˈtal]

• Audio (Barcelona):

  (file)

immortal m or f (masculine and feminine plural immortals)

1. immortal

   Antonym: mortal

• immortalitat