Phrase guide

death zone

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

An area of land at sufficiently high altitudes in which there is not enough oxygen to sustain human life.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: climbing, hobbies, lifestyle, sports

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: lethal zone

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Alternative letter-case form of death zone.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: alt-of

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Coined by Swiss physician and alpinist Edouard Wyss-Dunant in 1953 as lethal zone.

Across languages

Translations

9 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: kuolemanvyöhyke — (climbing) an area of land at sufficiently high altitudes in which there is not enough oxygen to sustain human life
  • French: zone de la mort — (climbing) an area of land at sufficiently high altitudes in which there is not enough oxygen to sustain human life
  • German: Todeszone — (climbing) an area of land at sufficiently high altitudes in which there is not enough oxygen to sustain human life
  • Japanese: デスゾーン (desu zōn) — (climbing) an area of land at sufficiently high altitudes in which there is not enough oxygen to sustain human life
  • Korean: 죽음의 구역 (jugeum-ui guyeok) — (climbing) an area of land at sufficiently high altitudes in which there is not enough oxygen to sustain human life
  • Polish: strefa śmierci — (climbing) an area of land at sufficiently high altitudes in which there is not enough oxygen to sustain human life
  • Russian: зо́на сме́рти (zóna smérti) — (climbing) an area of land at sufficiently high altitudes in which there is not enough oxygen to sustain human life
  • Spanish: zona de la muerte — (climbing) an area of land at sufficiently high altitudes in which there is not enough oxygen to sustain human life
  • Ukrainian: зо́на сме́рті (zóna smérti) — (climbing) an area of land at sufficiently high altitudes in which there is not enough oxygen to sustain human life