refugee

1 of 2

noun (1)

ref·​u·​gee ˌre-fyu̇-ˈjē 

ˈre-fyu̇-ˌjē

: one that flees

especially : a person who flees to a foreign country or power to escape danger or persecution

refugeeism

ˌre-fyu̇-ˈjē-ˌi-zəm 

ˈre-fyu̇-ˌjē-

noun

refugeeism

2 of 2

noun (2)

ref·​u·​gee·​ism -ēˌizəm 

plural -s

: the state of being a refugee

Synonyms of refugee

Noun (1)

• exile
• fugitive
• alien
• émigré
• expatriate

Examples of refugee in a Sentence

Noun (1)

Thousands of refugees have fled the area.

refugees began returning to their homeland after years of political unrest and war

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

To date, the company has hired more than 1,500 refugees across Europe. — Ted Kitterman, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026

Tens of thousands of people of Somali descent live in Minnesota, dating to when refugees began arriving in the 1990s. — Ellen Schmidt, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026

Officials for the Central American country previously told ABC News the country would offer the Salvadoran refugee status and potential residency. — ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026

Jamal gained refugee and permanent resident status in Canada years prior. — Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 5 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

French réfugié, past participle of (se) réfugier to take refuge, from Middle French refugier, from Latin refugium

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1685, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

refugee

noun

ref·​u·​gee ˌref-yu̇-ˈjē 

ˈref-yu̇-ˌjē

: a person who flees for safety especially to a foreign country

Etymology

Noun

from French réfugié, past participle of réfugier "to put in a place of safety," from Latin refugium "a refuge," from refugere "to run away from, escape," from re- "again, against" and fugere "to run away, flee" — related to centrifugal, fugitive

Legal Definition

refugee

noun

ref·​u·​gee ˌre-fyu̇-ˈjē 

: an individual seeking refuge or asylum

especially : an individual who has left his or her native country and is unwilling or unable to return to it because of persecution or fear of persecution (as because of race, religion, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion)