# casualty

Pronunciation: US say "KAZH-oo-uhl-tee" /ˈkæʒu.əlti/; UK say "KAZH-uu-uhl-tee" /ˈkaʒʊ.əlti/

## Noun

1. A person who has been injured or killed as a result of an accident or an act of violence.
   - Simple: A person who is hurt or killed in an accident or an attack.
   - _Paramedics treated each casualty at the scene before the ambulances arrived._
   - _Both casualties were taken to the nearest hospital after the crash._
2. A person who has been killed (not merely injured) as a result of an accident or an act of violence; a fatality.
   - Simple: A person who is killed in an accident or attack, not just hurt.
   - _Of the forty passengers, the only casualty was the driver, who died on impact._
   - _The report listed civilian casualties separately from those wounded in the bombing._
3. A member of the armed forces who becomes unavailable for duty for any reason, such as death, injury, illness, capture, or desertion.
   - Simple: A soldier who can no longer serve because of death, injury, illness, capture, or running away.
   - _The battalion reported its first casualty when a soldier fell ill and was evacuated._
   - _Commanders counted prisoners and deserters among their casualties, not just the wounded._
4. Anyone or anything that suffers, or is lost or sacrificed, as a result of a particular decision, event, or situation.
   - Simple: A person or thing that is harmed or lost because of a choice, event, or situation.
   - _Privacy has become a casualty of the constant push for more data._
   - _Local libraries were among the casualties of the latest budget cuts._
5. An event that happens by chance, especially an unfortunate one; an accident or disaster.
   - Simple: An unlucky thing that happens by chance, such as an accident or disaster.
   - _The fire was treated as an unforeseen casualty rather than anyone's fault._
   - _Merchants insured their cargo against the many casualties of the open ocean._
6. Clipping of casualty department. *(British)* — Clipping of casualty department: the accident and emergency department of a hospital providing immediate treatment.
   - Simple: Clipping of casualty department. It means the part of a British hospital that treats emergencies.
   - _After the accident, the ambulance took her straight to casualty._
   - _He spent most of the night in casualty with a broken wrist._
7. An incidental or occasional charge or payment.
   - Simple: A small extra charge or payment that comes up from time to time.
   - _Beyond the fixed rent, the estate collected the occasional casualty for repairs and services._
   - _The ledger listed each casualty separately from the regular quarterly payments._

## Noun

8. The quality of happening by chance; randomness. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: The quality of happening by luck or chance, not by plan.

## Origin

From "casual," via Middle French "casuel" and Medieval Latin "casualitas" and Late Latin "casualis" ("happening by chance"), from Latin "casus" ("event"), itself from "cadere" ("to fall"). It originally meant "a chance event," but developed a negative sense as "an unfortunate event," especially the loss of a person.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/casualty (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).