What does injury mean?
An injury is harm or damage suffered by a person, especially damage to the body caused by an accident, violence, or another adverse event. The word can also describe harm to property, rights, reputation, or economic interests. In everyday use, an injury often means a physical wound or impairment, while formal and legal contexts use it for a wider range of recognised harm. Common expressions include “sustain an injury,” “serious injury,” and “injury to.” Related forms such as injure, injured, and injurious describe causing harm, being harmed, or being harmful. Its historical roots connect it to Latin injuria, which referred both to physical harm and to injustice, reflecting the close relationship between injury and wrongdoing in English.
nounDamage or harm suffered by a person, especially to the body. It can also refer to harm or damage affecting property, rights, or an abstract interest.
- Damage or harm suffered by a person, especially physical harm to the body.
- Damage or detriment suffered by property, an organisation, or an abstract interest such as reputation or rights.
"The driver sustained serious injuries in the collision."
"Her injury prevented her from competing in the final."
"The factory closure was a serious injury to the local economy."
"The policy caused considerable injury to small businesses."
The standard plural changes the ending to “-ies,” as in “injuries” and “work-related injuries.”
"Several injuries were reported after the accident."
From Latin injuria, meaning harm or injustice, an injury began as both physical damage and a wrong.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does injury come from?
The word entered Middle English through Old French injure, from Latin injuria, meaning “harm, wrong, or injustice.” The Latin term was formed with a negative prefix and a root associated with law or right, giving the sense of injury as both physical damage and a wrong. English later developed the closely related forms injure, injured, and injurious, while the modern noun retains the broad sense of harm or damage.
Related word forms
How injury is actually used
The word is neutral in register. In medical and legal contexts, it may refer specifically to physical damage or a legally recognised harm; in general contexts, it can also mean any serious detriment.
Easily confused with injury
An injury commonly refers to harm suffered by a person or animal, whereas damage is more often used for damage to property, objects, or systems.
A wound is a physical break or lesion in the body, while an injury is the broader condition or harm resulting from an accident or other cause.