Added 5 October 2026
victim
/ˈvɪktɪm/ noun
In Latin: victima, hostia Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about victim at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
-
One that is harmed—killed, injured, subjected to oppression, deceit, or otherwise adversely affected—by someone or something, especially another person or event, force, or condition; in particular:
The victim of the robbery gave a detailed statement.
-
One who is harmed or killed by a crime or scam.
victims of assault; the murderer's victims
-
One who is harmed or killed by an accident or illness.
a fundraiser for victims of AIDS; a victim of a car crash
verb
Origin
From Middle French victime, from Latin victima (“sacrificial animal”). Although this root and victor drive from homophonous PIE roots, they are traditionally reconstructed as separate words and thus not cognates.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)