casualty

The definition of a casualty is a serious accident.

(noun)

A fatal car crash is an example of a casualty.

Casualty is defined as a person or thing lost or destroyed by an accident or military action.

(noun)

See casualty in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun pl. casualties

an accident, esp. a fatal one
Mil.
1. a member of the armed forces who is lost to active service through being killed, wounded, captured, interned, sick, or missing
2. losses of personnel resulting from death, injury, etc.
anyone hurt or killed in an accident
anything lost, destroyed, or made useless by some unfortunate or unforeseen happening

Origin: ME & OFr casuelte < ML casualitas: see casual

See casualty in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun pl. ca·su·al·ties

An accident, especially one involving serious injury or loss of life.
One injured or killed in an accident: a train wreck with many casualties.
One injured, killed, captured, or missing in action through engagement with an enemy. Often used in the plural: Battlefield casualties were high.
One that is harmed or eliminated as a result of an action or a circumstance: The corner grocery was a casualty of the expanding supermarkets.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English casuelte

Origin: , from Old French

Origin: , from Medieval Latin cāsuālitās, chance, accident

Origin: , from Latin cāsuālis, fortuitous; see casual

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