an exile who flees for safety
"After his home was destroyed by war, he became a refugee and fled to a neighboring country seeking safety."
A person seeking refuge in a foreign country out of fear of political persecution or the prospect of such persecution in their home country, i.e., a person seeking political asylum.
"After fleeing his village due to threats from the new regime, he arrived at the border as a refugee seeking political asylum."
In plain English: A refugee is someone who has been forced to leave their home country because of war, violence, or persecution and needs protection elsewhere.
"The refugee family crossed the border to find safety in their new country."
Usage: Use "refugee" to describe someone forced to flee their homeland due to war, violence, or political persecution rather than economic hardship. This term specifically denotes legal status based on fear of return, distinguishing it from general migrants who move voluntarily for better opportunities.
To convey (slaves) away from the advance of the federal forces.
"The Underground Railroad helped refugees escape slavery by moving them away from the advance of federal forces."
In plain English: To be forced to leave your home and country because of danger is what it means when someone becomes a refugee, but there is no verb form for this word since refugees are people who have already fled rather than an action they perform.
"The old sofa finally collapsed under its owner's weight and caved in, causing him to take refuge on the floor until help arrived."
The word refugee comes from Old French and ultimately Latin, where it originally described a hiding place or a safe haven for those seeking protection. It entered English with this specific historical context, referring to French Huguenots who fled religious persecution after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685.