refugee en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ɹɛfjʊˈd͡ʒiː/
- (UK) audio
- /ˈɹɛfjʊd͡ʒiː/
Etymology
From French réfugié, past participle of réfugier (“to take refuge, to seek refuge”), from Old French refuge (“hiding place”) from Latin refugium (“a place of refuge, place to flee back to”), originally describing French Huguenots fleeing religious persecution after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685. Noun sense 1 was "one seeking asylum" until 1914, when it evolved to mean more generally "one fleeing home" (first applied in this sense to civilians in Flanders heading west to escape fighting in World War I). By surface analysis, refuge + -ee. Displaced native Old English flīema.
Meanings
-
(also, attributive, figuratively) A person seeking refuge (as for shelter or protection), especially in a foreign country, out of fear or prospect of political, religious persecution, war, natural disaster, etc.
While thousands of refugees were evacuated from the New Orleans convention center, chaos continued at the airport, thousands were still trapped in homes and hotels, fires raged virtually unchecked in parts of the city, the power was out, and vast sections were still under water.
2005 September 4, Robert D. McFadden, “Bush Pledges More Troops as Evacuation Grows”, in The New York Times:My son, a Canada-based IT professional who often travels to Ukraine, told me about the exhilarating atmosphere on those Ukraine-bound trains, bringing home hundreds of the unwilling refugees, mostly women and children (including the babies, born in exile on the way to meet their Ukrainian fighter fathers for the first time). The difference between Ukrainian refugees and other reluctant exiles is that Ukrainians are desperate to return.
2024 September 4, Vitali Vitaliev, “A salute to Ukraine's 'Second Army'”, in RAIL, number 1017, page 49:Alluding to the regional consequences of a war in the Taiwan Strait, Zelensky pointed out that there could be millions of refugees, similar to the result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
2022 June 13, “Video shows Zelensky call on world to help Taiwan before China invades”, in Taiwan News, archived from the original on 13 Jun 2022:Why did the SDP dream eventually fade? Partly because it succeeded far better inside parliament than out. It might attract some inner-city Catholic traditionalist Labour refugees from Labour's left, but many of those were already gentrifying.
2010, Brian Harrison, Finding a Role?: The United Kingdom 1970-1990, page 2181:In 1962 a special law had to be passed to permit the immigration of several thousand Chinese refugees who had escaped from Communist China to Hong Kong.
1964, John F. Kennedy, A Nation of Immigrants, Revised and Enlarged edition, Harper & Row, →LCCN, →OCLC, pages 78–79:The eight military bases being used to house Afghan refugees have a total capacity of 50,000 to house evacuees. […] The nine refugee resettlement agencies who work in coordination with the federal government will ultimately determine where Afghans are relocated, based on whether they have US ties or where their local affiliates have capacity to take them in.
2021 September 13, Priscilla Alvarez and Oren Liebermann, “Inside the effort to resettle thousands of Afghans in the United States”, in CNN:
- (broadly, derogatory) A person who is fleeing from justice, punishment deemed righteous, etc.; a runaway, a fugitive.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| refugees | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
refugeeism · climate refugee · quota refugee · leftugee · antirefugee · net café refugee · refugeeship · rapefugee · refujew · environmental refugee · internal refugee · refugeehood · McRefugee · refugee camp · nonrefugee · refugitive · reffo · refugeedom · economic refugee
Synonyms
Translations (253)
ml അഭയാർത്ഥി (person seeking political asylum) · uk бі́женка (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · rm fugitiv (person seeking political asylum) · cs uprchlík (person seeking economic asylum) · th ผู้ลี้ภัย (person seeking political asylum) · tt качкын (person seeking political asylum) · gl refuxiada (person seeking political asylum) · kk босқын (person seeking political asylum) · hy փախստական (person granted formal asylum) · de Flüchtling (person seeking political asylum) · bg бежане́ц (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · ps پناهګزين (person seeking political asylum) · sh ѝзбеглица (person seeking political asylum) · sk utečenka (person seeking political asylum) · cy ffoadur (person seeking political asylum) · tr sığınmacı (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · mn дүрвэгч (person seeking political asylum) · de Flüchtling (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · fo flóttafólk (person seeking political asylum) · de Flüchtling (person granted formal asylum) · ro refugiat (person seeking political asylum) · fr réfugié (person seeking political asylum) · ht refijye (person seeking political asylum) · gd fògarrach (person seeking political asylum) · ms pelari (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · be бе́жанка (person granted formal asylum) · ca refugiat (person seeking economic asylum) · sl begunec (person seeking political asylum) · it profugo (person seeking political asylum) · is flóttamaður (person seeking political asylum) · da flygtning (person seeking economic asylum) · ms pelari (person granted formal asylum) · ur پناہ گزین (person seeking political asylum) · sl begunec (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · cs uprchlík (person granted formal asylum) · tt качак (person seeking political asylum) · ar لَاجِئَة (person seeking political asylum) · pl uchodźczyni (person seeking political asylum) · be уцяка́чка (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · cmn 難民 /难民 (person seeking economic asylum) · pt refugiado (person seeking political asylum) · uz qochqin (person seeking political asylum) · nn flyktning (person seeking economic asylum) · sl begunec (person seeking economic asylum) · da flygtning (person seeking political asylum) · vi người tị nạn (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · ru бе́женец (person seeking political asylum) · hi शरणार्थी (person seeking economic asylum) · mk бегалец (person seeking political asylum) · fa پَناهَندِه (person seeking political asylum) · vi người tỵ nạn (person seeking political asylum) · mi konene (person granted formal asylum) · sw mkimbizi (person granted formal asylum) · ca refugiada (person seeking political asylum) · mi konene (person seeking economic asylum) · mk бежанец (person seeking political asylum) · de Flüchtling (person seeking economic asylum) · ta அகதி (person seeking economic asylum) · cs běženec (person seeking political asylum) · gl refuxiada (person seeking economic asylum) · kmr penaber (person seeking political asylum) · sl begunka (person seeking political asylum) · vi người tỵ nạn (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · pl uchodźczyni (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · nb flyktning (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · gl refuxiado (person seeking economic asylum) · my ဒုက္ခသည် (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · ml അഭയാർത്ഥി (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · ne शरणार्थी (person seeking political asylum) · be бе́жанка (person seeking political asylum) · vi tị nạn (person seeking political asylum) · vi tỵ nạn (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · be бе́жанец (person granted formal asylum) · cmn 災民 /灾民 (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · uk бі́женець (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · el πρόσφυγας (person seeking political asylum) · es refugiado (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · nn flyktning (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · cmn 難民 /难民 (person granted formal asylum) · lt pabėgėlis (person seeking political asylum) · sh ìzbjeglica (person seeking political asylum) · ko 난민 (person seeking political asylum) · bg бежане́ц (person seeking political asylum) · be уцяка́чка (person seeking political asylum) · de Asylantin (person seeking political asylum) · fa فراری (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · pl uchodźca (person granted formal asylum) · la profugus (person seeking economic asylum) · tr göçmen (person seeking economic asylum) · ru бе́женец (person granted formal asylum) · ckb پەنابەر (person seeking political asylum) · ky качкын (person seeking political asylum) · tr sığınmacı (person seeking political asylum) · tr göçmen (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · yi בעזשענעץ (person seeking political asylum) · ms pelarian (person seeking political asylum) · bg бежанка́ (person seeking political asylum) · ba ҡасҡын (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · ru бе́женка (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · bg бежанка́ (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · be уцяка́чка (person granted formal asylum) · be бе́жанец (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · ga dídeanaí (person seeking political asylum) · te శరణాగతుడు (person seeking political asylum) · tr mülteci (person seeking political asylum) · my ဒုက္ခသည် (person seeking political asylum) · ca refugiat (person granted formal asylum) · cs uprchlice (person seeking political asylum) · sv flykting (person seeking economic asylum) · vi tỵ nạn (person seeking economic asylum) · sl pribežnik (person seeking political asylum) · de Flüchtlingin (person seeking political asylum) · vi người tỵ nạn (person seeking economic asylum) · de Asylbewerberin (person seeking political asylum) · fi pakolainen (person seeking economic asylum) · be бе́жанец (person seeking political asylum) · pt refugiada (person seeking political asylum) · rhg refúji (person seeking political asylum) · za bouxnanhmingh (person seeking political asylum) · hy փախստական (person seeking economic asylum) · cmn 避難者 /避难者 (person seeking political asylum) · az qaçqın (person seeking political asylum) · ro refugiată (person seeking political asylum) · uk бі́женка (person granted formal asylum) · mn ᠳᠦᠷᠪᠡᠭᠴᠢ (person seeking political asylum) · sv flykting (person seeking political asylum) · vi tị nạn (person seeking economic asylum) · sk utečenkyňa (person seeking political asylum) · be уцяка́ч (person granted formal asylum) · ar لَاجِئ (person seeking political asylum) · yue 難民 /难民 (person seeking political asylum) · vi tỵ nạn (person seeking political asylum) · bo བཙན་བྱོལ་བ (person seeking political asylum) · ru бе́женка (person granted formal asylum) · sv flykting (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · cs běženka (person seeking political asylum) · tk bosgun (person seeking political asylum) · hu menekült (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · hi शरणार्थी (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · ug پاناھلانغۇچى (person seeking political asylum) · tg паноҳанда (person seeking political asylum) · uk бі́женець (person granted formal asylum) · ba ҡасҡын (person seeking political asylum) · sh ìzbeglica (person seeking political asylum) · ja 難民 (person seeking economic asylum) · ru бе́женка (person seeking economic asylum) · ru бе́женец (person seeking economic asylum) · te శరణార్థి (person seeking political asylum) · it rifugiata (person seeking political asylum) · id pengungsi (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · fi pakolainen (person granted formal asylum) · pl uchodźca (person seeking political asylum) · da flygtning (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · sl pribežnica (person seeking political asylum) · es refugiado (person seeking political asylum) · ru бе́женка (person seeking political asylum) · uz qochoq (person seeking political asylum) · lv bēglis (person seeking political asylum) · te కాందిశీకుడు (person seeking political asylum) · sh ѝзбјеглица (person seeking political asylum) · ca refugiat (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · nb flyktning (person seeking political asylum) · hu menekült (person seeking political asylum) · pt expatriado (person seeking economic asylum) · pt desabrigado (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · be уцяка́ч (person seeking political asylum) · uz qochqindi (person seeking political asylum) · fr réfugié (person seeking economic asylum) · ba ҡасҡын (person seeking economic asylum) · cs uprchlík (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · hi शरणार्थी (person granted formal asylum) · ar لَاجِئ (person seeking economic asylum) · ht refigye (person seeking political asylum) · lo ຜູ້ລີ້ໄພ (person seeking political asylum) · fi pakolainen (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · hi शरणार्थी (person seeking political asylum) · vi người tị nạn (person seeking political asylum) · ca refugiat (person seeking political asylum) · ka ლტოლვილი (person seeking political asylum) · pt asilado (person granted formal asylum) · ms pelari (person seeking economic asylum) · mi konene (person seeking political asylum) · hy փախստական (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · tr göçmen (person seeking political asylum) · sw mkimbizi (person seeking political asylum) · ta அகதி (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · ru бе́женец (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · mi konene (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · be бе́жанка (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · vi tị nạn (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · mk бегалка (person seeking political asylum) · et põgenik (person seeking political asylum) · uk бі́женець (person seeking political asylum) · gd fògarrach (person granted formal asylum) · ml അഭയാർത്ഥി (person seeking economic asylum) · uk бі́женка (person seeking political asylum) · de Asylbewerber (person seeking political asylum) · cmn 難民 /难民 (person seeking political asylum) · eo rifuĝinto (person seeking political asylum) · bg бежане́ц (person granted formal asylum) · mi rerenga (person seeking political asylum) · nl vluchteling (person seeking political asylum) · la refugus (person seeking political asylum) · it rifugiato (person seeking political asylum) · sw mkimbizi (person seeking economic asylum) · bn শরণার্থী (person seeking political asylum) · kl qimaasoq (person seeking political asylum) · ta அகதி (person granted formal asylum) · hy փախստական (person seeking political asylum) · km ជនភៀសខ្លួន (person seeking political asylum) · nn flyktning (person seeking political asylum) · de Asylant (person seeking political asylum) · et pagulane (person seeking political asylum) · cs uprchlice (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · gl refuxiado (person seeking political asylum) · he פָּלִיט (person seeking political asylum) · ka ლტოლვილი (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · cs uprchlice (person seeking economic asylum) · pa ਸ਼ਰਨਾਰਥੀ (person seeking political asylum) · la profugus (person seeking political asylum) · gd fògarrach (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · nb flyktning (person seeking economic asylum) · crh qaçaq (person seeking political asylum) · mk бежанка (person seeking political asylum) · ang flīema (person seeking political asylum) · ml അഭയാർത്ഥി (person granted formal asylum) · kk қашқын (person seeking political asylum) · fi pakolainen (person seeking political asylum) · sl pribežnica (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · nan-hbl 難民 /难民 (person seeking political asylum) · yi פּליט (person seeking political asylum) · eo rifuĝintino (person seeking political asylum) · es refugiada (person seeking political asylum) · be уцяка́ч (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · pl uchodźca (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · sl pribežnik (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · as শৰণাৰ্থী (person seeking political asylum) · sw mkimbizi (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · tr mülteci (person seeking economic asylum) · hu menekült (person granted formal asylum) · bg бежанка́ (person granted formal asylum) · cs uprchlík (person seeking political asylum) · ms pengungsi (person seeking political asylum) · vi người tị nạn (person seeking economic asylum) · la refugus (person seeking economic asylum) · ta அகதி (person seeking political asylum) · es refugiado (person seeking economic asylum) · tr mülteci (person seeking refuge from natural disaster) · fr réfugiée (person seeking political asylum) · ja 難民 (person seeking political asylum) · hu menekült (person seeking economic asylum) · sk utečenec (person seeking political asylum) · bg икономи́чески емигра́нт (person seeking economic asylum)