case fatality rate

[ keysfey-tal-i-tee reyt, fuh- ]

noun
  1. the proportion of people who die from a disease contracted during a specific period of time, calculated by dividing the total number of deaths by the total number of cases and typically expressed as a percentage:It is often difficult to pinpoint the case fatality rate, because many cases of infection can go undetected and thus unreported.Abbreviation: CFR

Origin of case fatality rate

1
First recorded in 1915–20
  • Also called case fa·tal·i·ty risk [keysfey-tal-i-tee risk], /ˈkeɪs feɪˈtæl ɪ ti ˌrɪsk/, case fa·tal·i·ty ra·tio [keysfey-tal-i-tee rey-shoh, -shee-oh] /ˈkeɪs feɪˈtæl ɪ ti ˌreɪ ʃoʊ, -ʃiˌoʊ/ .

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024