Immortal, a.
Etymology: [L. immortalis; pref. im- not + mortalis mortal: cf. F. immortel. See Mortal, and cf. Immortelle.]
1. Not mortal; exempt from liability to die; undying; imperishable; lasting forever; having unlimited, or eternal, existance. Unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible. 1 Tim. i. 17. For my soul, what can it do to that, Being a thing immortal as itself Shak.
2. Connected with, or pertaining to immortability. I have immortal longings in me. Shak.
3. Destined to live in all ages of this world; abiding; exempt from oblivion; imperishable; as, immortal fame. One of the few, immortal names, That were not born yo die. Halleck.
4. Great; excessive; grievous. [Obs.] Hayward. Immortal flowers, imortelles; everlastings.
1 more senses
Syn. -- Eternal; everlasting; never-ending; ceaseless; perpetual; continual; enduring; endless; imperishable; incorruptible; deathless; undying.
1 other Webster entry under this spelling
Immortal, n.
One who will never cease to be; one exempt from death, decay, or annihilation. Bunyan.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for immortal; he lists it under eternal.
Where he writes about it:
Everlasting, endless, and eternal may be applied to that which has no life; as, everlasting chains, endless night, eternal death; immortal applies to that which now has life, and is forever exempt from death. — from eternal