refugee

noun

ref·​u·​gee ˌre-fyu̇-ˈjē 

ˈre-fyu̇-ˌjē

: one that flees

especially : a person who flees to a foreign country or power to escape danger or persecution

refugeeism

ˌre-fyu̇-ˈjē-ˌi-zəm 

ˈre-fyu̇-ˌjē-

noun

Synonyms

• deportee
• émigré
• emigré
• evacuee
• exile
• expat [chiefly British]
• expatriate

Examples of refugee in a Sentence

Thousands of refugees have fled the area.

refugees began returning to their homeland after years of political unrest and war

Recent Examples on the Web

Video showed the remains of several people, including two young children who NBC News’ crew reported were killed in an Israeli drone strike after fleeing the area of the Jabalia refugee camp. —Chantal Da Silva, NBC News, 23 Oct. 2024

Meanwhile, the Israeli army is in the midst of an offensive in the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza. —Dina Kraft, The Christian Science Monitor, 23 Oct. 2024

In Syria, where hundreds of thousands of refugees have fled from Lebanon, UNICEF has been able to reach thousands of children — Lebanese and Syrian — with vaccinations and nutrition support, and is providing emergency WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) services at border crossing points. —Maryanne Murray Buechner, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2024

Read more How Ukraine war refugees fell victim to Hurricane Helene A search party recovered Anastasiia Novitnia Segen's body 10 miles from the family’s home in the mountains outside Asheville, North Carolina. —Nicole Fallert, USA TODAY, 17 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

French réfugié, past participle of (se) réfugier to take refuge, from Middle French refugier, from Latin refugium

First Known Use

1685, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

refugee

noun

ref·​u·​gee ˌref-yu̇-ˈjē 

ˈref-yu̇-ˌjē

: a person who flees for safety especially to a foreign country

Etymology

from French réfugié, past participle of réfugier "to put in a place of safety," from Latin refugium "a refuge," from refugere "to run away from, escape," from re- "again, against" and fugere "to run away, flee" — related to centrifugal, fugitive

Legal Definition

refugee

noun

ref·​u·​gee ˌre-fyu̇-ˈjē 

: an individual seeking refuge or asylum

especially : an individual who has left his or her native country and is unwilling or unable to return to it because of persecution or fear of persecution (as because of race, religion, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion)