Casualty: meaning, definitions and examples

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casualty

 

[ ˈkazʃuəlti ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

injury

A person who is killed or injured in a war or accident.

Synonyms

fatality, injured person, victim

Examples of usage

  • The casualties of the battle were numerous.
  • The paramedics rushed to help the casualties of the car crash.
Context #2 | Noun

military

A member of the armed forces lost to service through death, wounds, sickness, capture, or because his or her whereabouts or condition are unknown.

Synonyms

fallen soldier, martyr, warrior

Examples of usage

  • The army reported five casualties in the latest attack.
  • The casualties were honored with a memorial service.
Context #3 | Noun

sacrifice

Something or someone that is lost or destroyed in order to achieve a particular purpose or because of a particular situation.

Synonyms

loss, sacrifice, victim

Examples of usage

  • The project was a casualty of the company's budget cuts.
  • In times of war, civilian lives often become casualties.

Translations

Translations of the word "casualty" in other languages:

🇵🇹 vítima

🇮🇳 हता-हत

🇩🇪 Opfer

🇮🇩 korban

🇺🇦 жертва

🇵🇱 ofiara

🇯🇵 犠牲者

🇫🇷 victime

🇪🇸 víctima

🇹🇷 kurban

🇰🇷 희생자

🇸🇦 ضحية

🇨🇿 oběť

🇸🇰 obeť

🇨🇳 受害者

🇸🇮 žrtev

🇮🇸 fórnarlamb

🇰🇿 құрбан

🇬🇪 მსხვერპლი

🇦🇿 qurban

🇲🇽 víctima

Word origin

The word 'casualty' originated in the late 15th century from the Latin word 'casualis' meaning 'by chance'. Over time, its meaning evolved to refer to the unfortunate individuals affected by war, accidents, or sacrifices. The term has been widely used in military contexts to describe soldiers lost in battle, as well as in civilian situations to denote victims of various circumstances.

See also: casually, casualness, casualties, casualwear.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranked #10,686, this word falls into high-advanced vocabulary. It appears less frequently but is valuable for expressing precise meanings in specific contexts.