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

According to court records, a tort claim over negligence was filed Oct. 23 that names five Johns Does as plaintiffs and WWE Entertainment, parent company TWKO Group Holdings as well as Linda and Vince McMahon as defendants in Baltimore County Circuit Court. —Dillon Mullan, Baltimore Sun, 22 Nov. 2024

In theory, the man could argue Kelce is liable for the tort of conversion, which means intentionally taking another person’s personal property without permission. —Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 3 Nov. 2024

Almog Meir Jan, an Israeli citizen who said he was kidnapped at the Nova Music Festival and held for 246 days in the Gaza Strip, sued the U.S.-based People Media Project in a tort lawsuit filed in federal court in Washington state on Tuesday. —Alexander Mallin, ABC News, 11 July 2024

He is also expected to receive $175,000 as compensation from the state of Oklahoma in response to a tort claim filed earlier this year. —Jessie Christopher Smith, USA TODAY, 15 Aug. 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