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Synonyms

tort

American  
[tawrt] / tɔrt /

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 British  
/ 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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of tort

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”

Explanation

If you sue a surgeon for operating on your left foot instead of the right one, you are filing a tort suit. Hopefully, you'll walk out of court victorious (on both feet). Tort comes from the Latin word tortum, meaning "wrong." When someone has done some wrong to you, you can seek justice (in the form of payment) by taking them to court. Tortum itself comes from tortus (also Latin) meaning "twisted." So remember if someone does something twisted, like spread terrible lies about you, you could pursue a tort claim.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing tort

Twists and Turns: Tor

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Just Mercy

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The Judicial System

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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.

He attended Syracuse University, studied drama and history and later was hired at American Lawyer Media as an assignment editor for a civil tort database.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

"So while this settlement is necessary for the company today, we maintain our significant objections to the broken tort system that makes it necessary."

From Barron's • Feb. 17, 2026

Those plaintiffs were awarded $6 million in punitive damages along with $2.89 million in compensatory damages in a mass tort lawsuit that dates back to 2021.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 7, 2026

And the influential tort reform group Texans For Lawsuit Reform PAC added $550,000.

From Salon • Feb. 3, 2026

I was far more excited about the prospect of my brother taking his wedding vows, in other words, than I was about reviewing what constituted a tort.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

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.