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.

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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

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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”

Example Sentences

Now, some predict the constellation of rulings could change the fate of social media and rewrite the future of American tort law.

From Los Angeles Times

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

"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

Anderson said Tuesday that the current plan is significantly different, and is a traditional long-term compensation program like that used in other mass tort settlements.

From The Wall Street Journal

She writes about high-profile trials, lawsuits that explore novel questions, and cases that reveal legal tensions for companies, including about mass torts, technology, labor, and antitrust.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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