I. ˈkazhəltē, -i also -zhəwəl- noun
( -es )
Etymology: Middle English casuelte, from casuel casual + -te -ty
1. archaic : chance , fortune
losses that befall them by mere casualty — Walter Raleigh
2.
a. : an unfortunate occurrence : mischance
yielding to the casualties of trade — H.S.Canby
b. : serious or fatal accident : disaster
casualties at sea during the storm
losses from fire, storm, or other casualty — J.S.Seidman
3.
[translation of Medieval Latin casualitas ]
a. : a casual charge or payment
b. Scots law : a payment demandable by a superior from his tenant upon the happening of various uncertain events as distinguished for example from a payment at a certain time (as rent)
4. : a person lost to a command through death, wounds, injury, sickness, internment, capture, or through being missing in action
casualties were heavy
5.
a. : injury or death from accident
b. : one injured or killed (as by an accident)
the dog was a traffic casualty
6. : a person or thing that has failed, been injured, lost, or destroyed as a result of uncontrollable circumstance or of some action : victim
the ex-senator was a casualty of the last election
the factory was a casualty of the recession
II. ˈkazəltē, -asə-
variant of casalty