1. a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster:"tens of thousands of refugees fled their homes"
Word Originearly 17th century (originally denoting a Protestant who fled France to seek refuge elsewhere from religious persecution): from refuge + -ee, influenced by French réfugié ‘gone in search of refuge’, past participle of (se) réfugier, from refuge (see refuge).
