someone injured or killed or captured or missing in a military engagement
"The general reported that every soldier listed as a casualty had either been wounded, taken prisoner, or gone unaccounted for during the battle."
someone injured or killed in an accident
"The firefighter was listed as a casualty after being trapped in the burning building during the collapse."
an accident that causes someone to die
"The sudden storm turned into a tragedy when three people became casualties of the flash flood."
a decrease of military personnel or equipment
"The heavy artillery fire resulted in a significant casualty of their tank divisions during the battle."
Something that happens by chance, especially an unfortunate event; an accident, a disaster.
"The sudden power failure was just a casualty of the storm's unpredictability."
In plain English: A casualty is someone who gets hurt or killed during an accident, war, or disaster.
"The accident claimed three casualties, and emergency crews rushed to help them immediately."
Usage: In everyday English, casualty most commonly refers to a person injured or killed in an accident rather than the definition of an unfortunate event itself. Use this term specifically for victims of disasters like car crashes or wars instead of synonyms such as victim or sufferer when emphasizing the cause of injury.
The word "casualty" comes from Latin cadere, meaning "to fall," and originally referred to something that happened by chance. Over time, its meaning shifted in English to describe an unfortunate event or the death of a person caused by such accidents.