# tort

/ˈtɔɹt/ (US) · /tˈɔːt/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/tort
Updated: 2026-05-08

## Definition

a legal mistake or a harmful act that causes someone else to suffer. It is not a crime like stealing, but the person who was hurt can ask for money in court to pay for the damage.

For teachers: a civil wrong, other than a breach of contract, that causes a claimant to suffer loss or harm, resulting in legal liability for the person who commits the act. Typically involves negligence, intentional harm, or strict liability.

## Examples

- The lawyer specializes in personal injury tort cases.
- The company faced a major tort lawsuit after their faulty product caused several minor injuries to customers.
- Modern tort law seeks to balance the compensation of victims with the need to avoid placing an unreasonable burden of liability on individuals and businesses for accidental harms.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He committed a tort of theft." but "He committed the crime of theft." — A tort is a civil wrong handled in civil court; crimes are handled in criminal court. While some acts are both, 'tort' is specifically the civil classification.

## Usage notes

- Countable when referring to specific types of legal wrongs; uncountable when referring to the branch of law in general.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.