casualty

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a decrease of military personnel or equipment

   The third army took ten casualties.

2. 2
   noun

   an accident that causes someone to die

   That ferris wheel disaster was a casualty.

3. 3
   noun

   someone injured or killed in an accident

   My friend was a casualty of the car wreck.

4. 4
   noun

   Something that happens by chance, especially an unfortunate event; an accident, a disaster.

   1756, Samuel Johnson, “The Life of Sir Thomas Browne” in Thomas Browne, Christian Morals, 2nd edition, London: J. Payne, p. xx, The course of his education was like that of others, such as put him little in the way of extraordinary casualties.

5. 5
   noun

   Someone or something adversely affected by a decision, event or situation.

   Among recent casualties is the S.B.B.'s branch from Nyon to Divonne-les-Bains, just across the French frontier, closed to all traffic at the commencement of the winter service.

6. 6
   noun

   Chance nature; randomness.

   The non-necessary [causes] follow; of which, saith Fuchsius, no art can be made, by reason of their uncertainty, casualty, and multitude […]

7. 7
   noun

   A person suffering from injuries or who has been killed due to an accident or through an act of violence.

8. 8
   noun

   Specifically, a person who has been killed (not only injured) due to an accident or through an act of violence; a fatality.

Etymology

From casual, from Middle French casuel, from Medieval Latin casualitas and Late Latin cāsuālis (“happening by chance”), from Latin cāsus (“event”) (English case), from cadere (“to fall”). Originally meaning “a chance event” (compare casual, as in “casual encounter”), it developed a negative meaning as “an unfortunate event”, especially the loss of a person.