ENGLISH
REFERENCE

victim

n. countable
B1 Intermediate Oxford US //ˈvɪktəm// UK //vˈɪktɪm// vic·tim Archaic Dialect General-service

n. someone who has been hurt, killed, or cheated by another person or a bad event. You use this word for people who suffer because of a crime, an accident, or a natural disaster.

n. a person harmed, injured, or killed as a result of a crime, accident, or other event or action. Often used in the passive voice to describe the recipient of an adverse action.


SIMPLE

The police are looking for the person who hurt the victim.

CONTEXTUAL

The charity provides legal support and counseling to every victim of the recent flood to help them rebuild their lives.

COMPLEX

While the legal system focuses on the prosecution of the offender, restorative justice programs prioritize the needs of the victim and the healing of the community.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle French victime, from Latin victima (“sacrificial animal”).

Usage

Commonly followed by the preposition 'of' to specify the cause of suffering.

Idioms3 entries

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