refugee

[ ref-yoo-jee, ref-yoo-jee ]

noun

1. a person who flees for refuge or safety, especially to a foreign country, as in time of political upheaval, war, etc.
2. political refugee.

refugee

/ ˌrɛfjʊˈdʒiː /

noun

1. 1. a person who has fled from some danger or problem, esp political persecution

      refugees from Rwanda

   2. ( as modifier )

      a refugee camp

      a refugee problem

Derived Forms

• ˌrefuˈgeeism, noun

Other Words From

• refu·geeism noun
• proref·u·gee adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of refugee¹

First recorded in 1675–85; from French réfugié “taken refuge,” past participle of réfugier “to take refuge”; equivalent to refuge + -ee

Example Sentences

It would take him 20 hours to reach safety in Bulgaria, where he now lives with refugee status.

From BBC

In 1985, a divided City Council adopted a resolution declaring Los Angeles a city of sanctuary for immigrants fleeing political persecution and violence, particularly refugees from El Salvador and Guatemala.

From Los Angeles Times

Tran, who was born in the U.S. to Vietnamese refugee parents, also focused heavily on Vietnamese Americans, hoping that his family’s story would help win over voters who were once loyal to the Republican Party.

From Los Angeles Times

Trump has said he will institute another travel and refugee ban on “Gaza, Syria, Somalia, Yemen or Libya or anywhere else that threatens our security.”

From Los Angeles Times

Elsewhere, in central Gaza three separate attacks on refugee camps killed 15 people, while five more were killed in a Israeli drone attack on Rafah in the south, the civil defence added.

From BBC

Related Words

• alien
• displaced person
• emigrant
• evacuee
• exile
• expatriate
• foreigner