n.
Pronunciation: ' vik-t ə m
Function: noun
Etymology: Latin victima; perhaps akin to Old High German w ī h holy
Date: 15th century
1 : a living being sacrificed to a deity or in the performance of a religious rite
2 : one that is acted on and usually adversely affected by a force or agent <the schools are victim s of the social system>: as a (1) : one that is injured, destroyed, or sacrificed under any of various conditions <a victim of cancer> <a victim of the auto crash> <a murder victim > (2) : one that is subjected to oppression, hardship, or mistreatment <a frequent victim of political attacks> b : one that is tricked or duped <a con man's victim >
– vic · tim · hood \ - ˌ hu ̇ d \ noun