fatally
UK: ˈfeɪtəli | US: ˈfeɪtəli
adv. in a manner leading to death or disaster
adv. with irrevocable or devastating consequences
adv. (archaic) by fate or destiny
The word "fatally" derives from the Latin "fatalis," meaning "ordained by fate" or "deadly," which itself comes from "fatum" (fate, destiny). The suffix "-ly" is an Old English adverbial marker, turning the adjective "fatal" into an adverb. Over time, "fatally" shifted from emphasizing fate's inevitability to focusing on lethal or irreversible outcomes, reflecting a blend of destiny and consequence.
The driver was fatally injured in the collision.
His reputation was fatally damaged by the scandal.
The policy failed fatally due to poor planning.
(Archaic) They believed the war was fatally destined to end in ruin.
A single mistake can fatally compromise the entire system.