a. Also letiferous. [f. L. lēt(h)ifer, f. lēt(h)um death: see -FEROUS.] That causes or results in death, deadly.
1651. Biggs, New Disp., ¶ 85. Lethiferous poisons.
1653. H. More, Conject. Cabbal. (1713), 29. There is none … that bears so lethiferous and poisonous fruit, as the Tree of the knowledge of the good and evil.
1684. trans. Bonet’s Merc. Compit., XIX. 794. Convulsion and other lethiferous accidents.
1830. Lytton, P. Clifford, iii. As we murder bishops, so is there another class of persons whom we only afflict with letiferous diseases.
1866. J. B. Rose, Ovid’s Met., VII. 561. Pending lethiferous blasts by Auster shed.
Hence † Lethiferousness. rare–0.
1727. Bailey, vol. II., Lethiferousness, Death bringing Quality.
