tort

noun

ˈtȯrt 

: a wrongful act other than a breach of contract for which relief may be obtained in the form of damages or an injunction

Did you know?

Tort came into English straight from French many centuries ago, and it still looks a little odd. Its root meaning of "twisted" (as opposed to "straight") obviously came to mean "wrong" (as opposed to "right"). Every first-year law student takes a course in the important subject of torts. Torts include all the so-called "product-liability" cases, against manufacturers of cars, household products, children's toys, and so on. They also cover dog bites, slander and libel, and a huge variety of other very personal cases of injury, both mental and physical—Torts class is never dull. If you're sued for a tort and lose, you usually have to pay "damages"—that is, a sum of money—to the person who you wronged.

Examples of tort in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Once finalized, the settlement would resolve a series of tort claims filed against the Justice Department and the FBI in 2022 by the long list of athletes and patients who reported abuse by Nassar, including Maggie Nichols, Simone Biles, Aly Raisman and McKayla Maroney. —Pierre Thomas, ABC News, 17 Apr. 2024

Business Law and Ethics: Understanding legal and ethical standards affecting accounting practice, emphasizing contracts, torts, and professional conduct. —Bryce Welker, Miami Herald, 28 Feb. 2024

The badge can be purchased by anyone at a police uniform store, Pepe and the notice of tort claim said. —Janelle Griffith, NBC News, 6 Apr. 2024

Little legal recourse for business interruption claims While the ship’s collision with the bridge is likely to interrupt businesses in the area, Davies notes that purely economic losses are not recoverable from the ship’s owners in a maritime tort claim. —Catherine Thorbecke, CNN, 28 Mar. 2024

In tort law, both sides in a contract are granted what’s called consideration — a direct benefit from the agreement. —Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Feb. 2024

Victims like Swift can also theoretically turn to more traditional existing legal remedies to fight back, including copyright law, likeness rights, and torts like invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress. —Bill Donahue, Billboard, 31 Jan. 2024

Human rights and civil liberties law, competition law, consumer rights law, intellectual property, defamation, tort, employment law, and a plethora of other fields will be engaged to tackle the real-life harms already being caused by existing technology, including AI. —Susie Alegre, WIRED, 12 Jan. 2024

The change,which leans on concepts common in tort law, could address some of the concerns Freeman raised. —Cristiano Lima, Washington Post, 2 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, injury, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin tortum, from Latin, neuter of tortus twisted, from past participle of torquēre

First Known Use

1586, in the meaning defined above

Legal Definition

tort

noun

ˈtȯrt 

: a wrongful act other than a breach of contract that injures another and for which the law imposes civil liability : a violation of a duty (as to exercise due care) imposed by law as distinguished from contract for which damages or declaratory relief (as an injunction) may be obtained

also : a cause of action based on such an act

the court declined to recognize the tort

—National Law Journal

cannot sue in tort

compare crime, delict

Etymology

Anglo-French, wrongful or illegal act, from Old French, injury, from Medieval Latin tortum, from Latin, neuter of tortus twisted, from past participle of torquēre to twist