casualty

UK: ˈkæʒuəlti | US: ˈkæʒuəlti

Definition

  1. n. a person killed or injured in a war or accident

  2. n. something lost, damaged, or destroyed as a result of an event

  3. n. (archaic) chance or misfortune

Structure
casual <by chance>ty <noun suffix>
Etymology

Originally meaning "chance occurrence" (14th c.), casualty evolved to denote "misfortune" and later specifically "military losses" (15th c.). The shift reflects the unpredictability of accidents or battles. The root casus (fall) metaphorically ties to sudden, unintended events.

Examples

  1. The earthquake caused many casualties.

  2. Civilian casualties must be minimized in war.

  3. The company reported heavy financial casualties after the scandal.

  4. The hospital is equipped to handle mass casualties.

  5. (Archaic) "By casualty of weather, the voyage was delayed."