evacuee

American  

[ih-vak-yoo-ee, ih-vak-yoo-ee] / ɪˌvæk yuˈi, ɪˈvæk yuˌi /

noun

1. a person who is withdrawn or removed from a place of danger, a disaster area, etc.

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evacuee British  

/ ɪˌvækjʊˈiː /

noun

1. a person evacuated from a place of danger, esp in wartime

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Etymology

Origin of evacuee

1935–40; < French évacué, past participle of évacuer to evacuate; see -ee

Explanation

If a person is rescued and removed from a dangerous place, they are an evacuee. During World War II, many evacuees were moved from dense cities to the countryside. When someone is evacuated, or taken away from an unsafe location, that person becomes an evacuee. If an entire family is rescued from a burning building by firefighters, they are all evacuees. Most evacuees have been saved from immediate physical harm, whether from dangerous chemicals, fire, or war. The Latin root is evacuare, "to clear out."

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