VICTIM

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does victim mean? 

• VICTIM (noun)
  The noun VICTIM has 2 senses:

1. an unfortunate person who suffers from some adverse circumstance

2. a person who is tricked or swindled

  Familiarity information: VICTIM used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• VICTIM (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An unfortunate person who suffers from some adverse circumstance

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("victim" is a kind of...):

unfortunate; unfortunate person (a person who suffers misfortune)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "victim"):

casualty; injured party (someone injured or killed in an accident)

casualty (someone injured or killed or captured or missing in a military engagement)

hunted person (a person who is hunted)

martyr; sufferer (one who suffers for the sake of principle)

martyr (one who voluntarily suffers death as the penalty for refusing to renounce their religion)

muggee (a victim of a mugging)

murderee (a victim who is murdered)

poor devil; wretch (someone you feel sorry for)

fair game; prey; quarry; target (a person who is the aim of an attack (especially a victim of ridicule or exploitation) by some hostile person or influence)

punching bag (a person on whom another person vents their anger)

scapegoat; whipping boy (someone who is punished for the errors of others)

Derivation:

victimise (punish unjustly)

victimise (make a victim of)

victimize (punish unjustly)

victimize (make a victim of)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A person who is tricked or swindled

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Synonyms:

dupe; victim

Hypernyms ("victim" is a kind of...):

individual; mortal; person; somebody; someone; soul (a human being)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "victim"):

butt; goat; laughingstock; stooge (a victim of ridicule or pranks)

chump; fall guy; fool; gull; mark; mug; patsy; soft touch; sucker (a person who is gullible and easy to take advantage of)

lamb (a person easily deceived or cheated (especially in financial matters))

easy mark; sitting duck (a defenseless victim)

Derivation:

victimise (make a victim of)

victimize (punish unjustly)

victimize (make a victim of)

 Context examples 

This leads to several problems that are commonly found among victims of Alzheimer's disease, including the formation of beta-amyloid protein.

(Alzheimer's Disease Gene Successfully Removed From Human Brain, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

He became the victim of its weakness.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

What though I was the victim of an extraordinary accident?

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“There has been some villainy here,” said Holmes; “this beauty has guessed Miss Hunter’s intentions and has carried his victim off.”

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I suppose it is a part of the horrible curse that such is, when his touch is on his victim.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

The robbers, however, were not disposed to leave their victim until they had worked their wicked will upon her.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I made a perfect victim of myself.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

So long as the law does not find some other victim you are safe from me.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Then they fell back from the edge, formed themselves again into line, and waited for the next victim.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

But Wolf Larsen, leaving his victim for the moment, and with one of his tremendous springs, gained my side and flung me into the far corner of the cabin.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)