Fugitive

/ˈfjuːdʒɪtɪv/

Meaning & Definition

noun

A person who is fleeing from prosecution or unable to be found.

The police are searching for the fugitive who escaped from prison last night.

A person who is running away or hiding, especially from the law.

The fugitive was spotted in the nearby woods.

A person who has fled from a place or situation.

Fugitives often seek refuge in countries that do not extradite their citizens.

adjective

Running away or fleeing; having taken flight.

The fugitive emotions she tried to suppress began to resurface.

Tending to be elusive or transitory.

He made a fugitive appearance in the film, only lasting a few minutes.

From Latin 'fugitivus', from 'fugere' meaning 'to flee'.

fugitive from justice

A person who has fled to avoid being prosecuted.

fugitive slave

A slave who escaped to freedom.

pursuit

The act of chasing or seeking to catch someone.

asylum

Protection granted to political refugees.

exile

The state of being barred from one's native country.

On the run

He's been on the run since he jumped bail.

Ghost

After the scandal, he became a ghost, barely seen in public.