fugitive

[fyoo-ji-tiv]

noun

1. a person who is fleeing, as from prosecution, intolerable circumstances, etc.; a runaway.

   a fugitive from justice;

   a fugitive from a dictatorial regime.

adjective

1. having taken flight, or run away.

   The Fugitive Slave Act was part of the Compromise of 1850 that led the United States even closer to civil war.

2. fleeting; transitory; elusive.

   fugitive thoughts that could not be formulated.

   Synonyms: temporary, brief, flying, passing, transient
   Antonyms: permanent

3. Fine Arts.,  changing color as a result of exposure to light and chemical substances present in the atmosphere, in other pigments, or in the medium.

4. dealing with subjects of passing interest, as writings; ephemeral.

   fugitive essays.

   Synonyms: light, trivial, evanescent, momentary
   Antonyms: lasting

5. wandering, roving, or vagabond.

   a fugitive carnival.

fugitive

/ ˈfjuːdʒɪtɪv /

noun

1. a person who flees

2. a thing that is elusive or fleeting

adjective

1. fleeing, esp from arrest or pursuit

2. not permanent; fleeting; transient

3. moving or roving about

Other Word Forms

• fugitively adverb
• fugitivity noun
• fugitiveness noun
• nonfugitive adjective
• nonfugitively adverb
• nonfugitiveness noun
• unfugitive adjective
• unfugitively adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of fugitive¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; from Latin fugitīvus “fleeing,” equivalent to fugit(us) (past participle of fugere “to flee”) + -īvus adjective suffix ( -ive ); replacing Middle English fugitif, from Old French

Word History and Origins

Origin of fugitive¹

C14: from Latin fugitīvus fleeing away, from fugere to take flight, run away

Example Sentences

The police force was cast into turmoil after the 2024 overthrow of the autocratic government of now-convicted fugitive Sheikh Hasina, which left at least 1,400 dead and thousands maimed -- many by police gunfire.

Read more on Barron's

Wedding, 44, is believed to be a fugitive in Mexico.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Savage teams of network-hired pro killers go searching for the designated fugitive, who will pocket a huge sum if he can simply survive 30 days.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Despite those efforts, and years of manhunts, he remains a fugitive - and the US and Ugandan armies officially ended their operations to track him down in 2017.

Read more on BBC

Only four of the fugitives have been recaptured so far.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• deserter 
• escapee 
• exile 
• outcast 
• outlaw 
• refugee