plural casualties
1
: a person who is hurt or killed during an accident, war, etc.
a low number of casualties
The army suffered/took/sustained heavy casualties [=many soldiers were killed or wounded] in the town.
casualty rates [=the number of people wounded or killed each day]
2
: a person or thing that is harmed, lost, or destroyed : victim
—usually + of
The tree was a casualty of the high winds.
The factory was a casualty of the depression.
3
British
: emergency room
Cite this Entry
“Casualty.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/casualty. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
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