refugee

1 of 2

noun (1)

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

refugeeism

2 of 2

noun (2)

ref·​u·​gee·​ism -ēˌizəm 

plural -s

: the state of being a refugee

Synonyms of refugee

Noun (1)

• exile
• fugitive
• alien
• émigré
• expatriate

Examples of refugee in a Sentence

Noun (1)

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

Noun

Its floors filled with bunk beds, a prison and hospital, all deep underground, have been repurposed over the years as overflow housing for refugees, asylum seekers and the homeless. — Rob Schmitz, NPR, 8 Aug. 2026

Steven Spielberg’s personal masterpiece is the saga of Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson), who saved the lives of hundreds of Jewish refugees in Poland during the Holocaust. — Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 8 Aug. 2026

There’s the protocol refugee, taking 14 supplements, two experimental injectables, and a roster of peptides discovered on Reddit. — Tori Latham, Robb Report, 8 Aug. 2026

Some generated images of a nuclear plant in Iran, or refugees near the Mexico-US border. — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

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

First Known Use

Noun (1)

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

Noun

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)