Casualties
/ˈkæʒuəltiz/
Definitions
A person killed or injured as a result of a violent event or accident.
/ˈkæʒuəltiz/
A person killed or injured in a war or accident.
The earthquake left many casualties in its wake.
💡 Simply: Someone who is hurt or killed because of something bad happening, like a war or accident.
👶 For kids: Someone who got hurt or didn't make it after something bad happened.
More Examples
The war resulted in countless casualties.
How It's Used
"The battle resulted in heavy casualties on both sides."
"The accident caused multiple casualties, requiring immediate medical attention."
From Old French *casualté, from Latin *casualitatem, from casus "a fall, chance, event". Originally referred to accidental happenings, later specifically to those injured or killed.
The word's usage has broadened over time from merely denoting an accidental event to its current meaning predominantly focused on war and accidents.
Memory tip
Think of 'casual' as something unexpected and 'ties' as binding or linking to the event's outcome.