tort

[ tawrt ]

noun

, Law.

1. a wrongful act, not including a breach of contract or trust, that results in injury to another's person, property, reputation, or the like, and for which the injured party is entitled to compensation.

tort

/ tɔːt /

noun

1. law a civil wrong arising from an act or failure to act, independently of any contract, for which an action for personal injury or property damages may be brought

Word History and Origins

Origin of tort¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English: “injury, wrong,” from Old French, from Medieval Latin tortum “wrong, injustice,” noun use of neuter of Latin tortus “twisted, crooked, dubious,” past participle of torquēre “to twist, wring”

Word History and Origins

Origin of tort¹

C14: from Old French, from Medieval Latin tortum, literally: something twisted, from Latin torquēre to twist

Example Sentences

However, we can begin reforming the bankruptcy system before the next mass tort bankruptcy of this type, where actual people have suffered irreparable harm.

From Time

Instead of a traditional course focused on an area of law such as contracts or torts, the school’s leaders crafted a more personal, broad-ranging look at leadership.

From Washington Post

That case –— brought by prominent civil rights lawyers including Charles Ogletree and Johnnie Cochran — focused on civil and tort claims seeking reparations on behalf of about 200 survivors and descendants.

From Ozy

They can seek medical tort reform to reduce the don’t-get-sued pressure physicians feel to advocate for more tests or procedures.

From Fortune

They also hired an attorney and filed a federal tort claim against Customs and Border Protection for personal injury.

From The Daily Beast

Most companies want expanded free-trade deals and tort reform.

From The Daily Beast

Maybe they'd have saved Medicare Advantage from cuts, gotten some sort of tort reform thrown in, or slightly changed the pay-fors.

From The Daily Beast

Many of them instead become the kind of nuisance-lawsuit filer that makes the tort system a costly nightmare.

From The Daily Beast

Saladoff admits that she made the film to advance her anti-tort reform point of view.

From The Daily Beast

As it is an impersonal, artificial thing, a corporation cannot possibly commit a wrong or tort like a natural person.

From Project Gutenberg

In many states an action in tort instead of trespass is the proper remedy.

From Project Gutenberg

The publication of the same slander by different persons is not a joint tort, it is a distinct wrong done by each slanderer.

From Project Gutenberg

As the gist of the tort consists of the injury done to one's reputation, the defamatory statement must have been published.

From Project Gutenberg

Why, oh why, is the stealing of one kind of property a criminal offense, and another only a civil tort?

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• abuse
• bias
• blunder
• crime
• error
• evil
• grievance
• harm
• inequity
• injustice
• insult
• misdeed
• mistake
• prejudice
• slight
• transgression
• violation
• wrongdoing