casualty
B2Formal/Neutral (more frequent in news, military, and official contexts)
Definition
Meaning
A person killed or injured in a war or accident.
A person or thing badly affected by an event or situation; the status of being a casualty; the number of people killed or injured.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
While originally referring specifically to a person killed/injured, it now commonly refers to the number of casualties (e.g., 'heavy casualties'). It can also refer metaphorically to a victim or sufferer (e.g., a casualty of budget cuts). It is NOT used for the person/vehicle causing an accident.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning. Both use 'casualty' for victims and 'casualty department' (UK) / 'emergency room/ER' (US) in hospitals.
Connotations
Identical core connotations of loss, injury, or death, often in collective or statistical contexts.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in UK media, partly due to the term 'casualty department' being standard. In US, 'casualties' is very common in military/accident reporting, but 'emergency room' is used for the hospital department.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
There were X casualties.The explosion resulted in many casualties.Y suffered heavy casualties.X is a casualty of Y.Casualties were taken to hospital.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “The first casualty of war is truth.”
- “A casualty of circumstance/fate.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Metaphorical: 'Small businesses were the first casualties of the recession.'
Academic
Used in historical, military, or sociological studies discussing human cost.
Everyday
News reports about accidents, disasters, or conflicts.
Technical
Military/emergency services: precise reporting of numbers (KIA, WIA).
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The fire caused many casualties.
- He was a casualty in the car crash.
- The earthquake resulted in a high number of casualties.
- Several casualties were taken to hospital.
- The army suffered heavy casualties during the offensive.
- Local shops have become casualties of the new shopping centre.
- Minimising civilian casualties was the operation's primary objective.
- The classic cinema became another casualty of the streaming era.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'casual' + 'ty'. A 'casual' event (like an accident) results in a 'casual-ty' (a victim).
Conceptual Metaphor
BAD EVENT IS A PREDATOR/HARVESTER (It claims casualties). / CHANGE IS A FORCE (Producing casualties).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do NOT translate as 'случайность' (chance event).
- Do NOT confuse with 'жертва' which is broader (can mean 'sacrifice').
- The Russian 'казуальность' is a false friend from philosophy.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'casualty' to mean the accident itself (e.g., 'The casualty happened yesterday.' – INCORRECT).
- Confusing 'casualty' with 'casual' (adjective).
- Using it as a verb (e.g., 'He was casualties' – INCORRECT).
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'casualty' used CORRECTLY?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, in a metaphorical sense. E.g., 'Public trust was an early casualty of the scandal.'
A 'fatality' is specifically a death. A 'casualty' includes both those killed and injured.
Yes. You can have 'a casualty' (one person/thing) or 'casualties' (multiple). It is also used uncountably for the concept (e.g., 'threat of casualty').
Historically, it was the department that dealt with victims (casualties) of accidents and emergencies. The term is now often replaced by 'A&E' (Accident and Emergency) or 'Emergency Department'.
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