smrtelný

Smrtelní is a Czech term meaning mortals, referring to human beings who are subject to death. In standard usage it can function as a noun in the plural form or as an adjective used substantively to denote people as a group. In mythological and religious contexts, mortals are commonly contrasted with immortals or gods, emphasizing human vulnerability and the inevitability of death.

Etymology and linguistic notes indicate that smrtelní derives from the root smrt, death, combined with the diminutive/collective sense of the adjective smrtelný, meaning mortal. The masculine plural form smrtelní can be used on its own to denote people who are mortal, or paired with a noun (e.g., smrtelní lidé). The term has cognates in related Slavic languages, such as Slovak smrteľní and Polish śmiertelnicy or śmiertelni, reflecting a common Indo-European heritage for words related to death and mortality.

In usage, smrtelní appears in literature, folklore, religious writings, and modern media to evoke the human condition—fragility, limits, and the shared fate of people. It can serve both descriptive and thematic purposes, highlighting the contrast between ordinary humans and more powerful beings, such as deities, immortals, or magical beings. Contemporary authors may employ smrtelní to emphasize mortality as a central trait of human experience, or to situate characters within a mortal frame of reference.

See also: mortality, immortality, mortal beings, smrtelný, smrteľnosť.