casualty

ca·su·al·ty

noun
\ˈka-zhəl-tē, ˈkazh-wəl-, ˈka-zhə-wəl-\

plural ca·su·al·ties

Definition of CASUALTY

1

archaic : chance, fortune <losses that befall them by mere casualty — Sir Walter Raleigh>

2

: serious or fatal accident : disaster

3

a : a military person lost through death, wounds, injury, sickness, internment, or capture or through being missing in action b : a person or thing injured, lost, or destroyed : victim <the ex-senator was a casualty of the last election>

Examples of CASUALTY

1. a low number of casualties
2. <the real casualties in the war against drugs are millions of innocent children>

First Known Use of CASUALTY

15th century

Related to CASUALTY

Synonyms: fatality, loss, prey, victim

Related Words: loser, underdog; martyr, sacrifice; collateral damage; murderee

Near Antonyms: gainer, victor, winner; harmer, injurer; assassin, killer, murderer

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Other Military Terms

bivouac, logistics, petard, salient, sally, supernumerary, tactical