matter of life and death

noun

Something whose outcome could result in either someone's survival or their death

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Meanings

nounmatter of life and death (plural matters of life and death)

plural matters of life and death · alternative matter of life or death

  1. Something whose outcome could result in either someone's survival or their death
  2. idiomaticAn extremely urgent matter.

Translations

Catalan assumpte de vida o mort, qüestió de vida o mort
  • assumpte de vida o mortSomething whose outcome could result in either someone's survival or their death
  • qüestió de vida o mortSomething whose outcome could result in either someone's survival or their death
Dutch kwestie van leven of dood
  • kwestie van leven of doodSomething whose outcome could result in either someone's survival or their death
Finnish elämän ja kuoleman kysymys, kysymys elämästä ja kuolemasta
  • elämän ja kuoleman kysymysSomething whose outcome could result in either someone's survival or their death
  • kysymys elämästä ja kuolemastaSomething whose outcome could result in either someone's survival or their death
French question de vie ou de mort, affaire de vie ou de mort
  • question de vie ou de mortSomething whose outcome could result in either someone's survival or their death
  • affaire de vie ou de mortSomething whose outcome could result in either someone's survival or their death
German Existenzfrage
  • ExistenzfrageSomething whose outcome could result in either someone's survival or their death
Japanese 死活問題, 生死にかかわる問題
  • 死活問題 (shikatsumondai)Something whose outcome could result in either someone's survival or their death
  • 生死にかかわる問題 (seishi ni kakawaru mondai)Something whose outcome could result in either someone's survival or their death
  • 命にかかわる問題 (inochi ni kakawaru mondai)Something whose outcome could result in either someone's survival or their death
Korean 생사존망
  • 생사존망 (saengsajonmang)Something whose outcome could result in either someone's survival or their death
Polish sprawa życia i śmierci
  • sprawa życia i śmierciSomething whose outcome could result in either someone's survival or their death
Portuguese questão de vida ou morte
  • questão de vida ou morteSomething whose outcome could result in either someone's survival or their death
Russian вопро́с жи́зни и сме́рти
  • вопро́с жи́зни и сме́рти (voprós žízni i smérti)Something whose outcome could result in either someone's survival or their death
Spanish asunto de vida o muerte
  • asunto de vida o muerteSomething whose outcome could result in either someone's survival or their death
Cite this entry
APA

matter of life and death. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/matter%20of%20life%20and%20death

MLA

“matter of life and death.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/matter%20of%20life%20and%20death. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “matter of life and death,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/matter%20of%20life%20and%20death.

Source: matter of life and death on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.