evacuee
Americannoun
noun
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."
Vocabulary lists containing evacuee
"Simplexity," Vocabulary from the science writing
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Scrabble: Words with 5 Vowels
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for August 28–September 3, 2021
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Greece's health ministry said a Greek male evacuee would spend 45 days in mandatory hospital quarantine in Athens, while 14 Spanish citizens will also isolate at a military hospital in Madrid.
From Barron's • May 11, 2026
Another evacuee Patry Azul said: "Our house is made of wood and flimsy materials. We live close to the sea so we didn't feel safe."
From BBC • Nov. 9, 2025
Linda Elmo, an evacuee, said the flames moved so rapidly she and her husband had little time to flee.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 7, 2024
"Things could have turned ugly but it still is nice to be back here," a French evacuee who gave his name as Charles told Reuters TV.
From Reuters • Aug. 2, 2023
On a recent afternoon, he greeted an evacuee brought by ambulance to Anatevka.
From New York Times • Jul. 5, 2023
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
