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refugee

refugee

543 3.5
A person who must leave their country to escape war, danger, or disaster
  • noun
  • /ˌrɛfjuˈdʒi/
translation icon : refugiado
  • Thousands of angry refugees are demanding to be let back into the city.
  • refugee camp
  • refugee status
  • refugees from war

That any should be turned into refugees, as we were.

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Examples

  • When working with older refugees, mental health clinicians should pay special attention to grief and identity issues.

    Academic text (2011)
  • I must find food for these new refugees.

  • Yet little is known about the needs of this particular refugee population.

    Academic text (2011)
  • His father was a refugee.

  • So just why is the refugee question so urgent today?

  • Actually, I'm gonna be working in a refugee camp.

  • Six years ago, two refugees figured it out.

  • The UK has no plan to help Syrian refugees who have made it.

  • A total of 1,582 refugee children arrived in Massachusetts during the study period.

    Academic text (2011)
  • After fleeing their war-torn country, many families have become refugees seeking safety in neighboring nations.

Synonyms

displaced person
vsrefugee
10 5.3

A person forced to leave their home or country because it is not safe

is used only for people who cross a country border to escape danger
DP
vsrefugee
  • Specialized
2 7.5

A person forced to leave their home because of war or danger

is used for people who must leave their country to escape danger
expellee
vsrefugee
  • Formal
8.4

A person forced to leave their country, often for political or legal reasons

is for people who leave the country to escape war, persecution, or disaster

Compounds

60 3.5

A place that gives temporary shelter and help to people forced to leave their country because of war

How Voluntary

expatriate
19 6.2
emigrant
6 3.8
exile
87 4.9
refugee
543 3.5

Surface Forms

refugee singular
refugees plural

Morphology

refugee = refuge (transparent) = refuge + ee

The formation 'refuge' + '-ee' yields a person associated with refuge, and the meaning (a person who has sought refuge) is directly recoverable.

Etymology

Refugee comes from refuge, which means 'a safe place', plus -ee, meaning 'one who'. So a refugee is someone who has 'fled to safety' because of war, danger, or disaster.