casualty

noun

ca·​su·​al·​ty ˈka-zhəl-tē How to pronounce casualty (audio)
ˈkazh-wəl-,
ˈka-zhə-wəl- How to pronounce casualty (audio)
plural casualties
1
a
: a military person lost through death, wounds, injury, sickness, internment, or capture or through being missing in action
The army sustained heavy casualties.
b
: a person or thing injured, lost, or destroyed : victim
the ex-senator was a casualty of the last election
2
: serious or fatal accident : disaster
losses from fire, storm, or other casualtyJ. S. Seidman
3
archaic : chance, fortune
losses that befall them by mere casualtySir Walter Raleigh

Examples of casualty in a Sentence

a low number of casualties the real casualties in the war against drugs are millions of innocent children
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
There was no immediate report of casualties or details on what was hit. Reuters, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024 The conditions of those wounded remain unclear and there were no reported casualties among the guardsmen involved. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024 There were no reports of casualties from Dahiyeh, where fears of Israeli bombings drive a mass outflow of residents each night. Sally Abou Aljoud and Wafaa Shurafa The Associated Press, arkansasonline.com, 2 Nov. 2024 Among the casualties, another 10 died in a separate strike on a car in Khan Younis, in southern Gaza near the border with Egypt. Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA TODAY, 1 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for casualty 

Word History

Etymology

see casual entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of casualty was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near casualty

Cite this Entry

“Casualty.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/casualty. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

casualty

noun
ca·​su·​al·​ty ˈkazh-əl-tē How to pronounce casualty (audio)
ˈkazh-(ə-)wəl-
plural casualties
1
: a serious or fatal accident : disaster
2
a
: a military person lost (as by death or capture) during warfare
b
: a person or thing injured, lost, or destroyed

Medical Definition

casualty

noun
ca·​su·​al·​ty ˈkazh-əl-tē, ˈkazh-(ə-)wəl- How to pronounce casualty (audio)
plural casualties
1
: a serious or fatal accident
2
: a military person lost through death, wounds, injury, sickness, internment, or capture or through being missing in action
3
a
: injury or death from accident
b
: one injured or killed (as by accident)

Legal Definition

casualty

noun
ca·​su·​al·​ty ˈka-zhəl-tē, ˈka-zhə-wəl- How to pronounce casualty (audio)
plural casualties
1
: an unfortunate occurrence
especially : a serious and often disastrous accident
conversion of property…arising from fire, storm, shipwreck, or other casualty Internal Revenue Code
2
: something lost, stolen, damaged, or destroyed see also casualty gain at gain, casualty loss at loss

More from Merriam-Webster on casualty

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