What does tort mean?
A tort is a wrongful act, other than a breach of contract, for which the injured party may seek compensation through civil litigation. The term is used in legal systems based on the common law, including those of the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland. Typical torts include negligence, defamation, trespass, and copyright infringement. The seriousness of a tort depends on the harm caused and the circumstances surrounding it, ranging from minor injury to substantial damage or loss. Although a tort is distinct from a crime, the same conduct can sometimes give rise to both criminal prosecution and a civil claim. It is also distinct from a contractual breach, because tort liability generally arises from a wrongful act rather than a failure to perform an agreed obligation. In broader usage, the word may suggest any legal or moral wrong, but its principal modern sense remains firmly technical.
nounA wrongful act, other than a breach of contract, for which a person may seek civil damages. The term also denotes the legal liability arising from such an act.
- A wrongful act for which civil liability or damages may arise, excluding breaches of contract; by extension, the legal responsibility associated with such an act.
"The injured customer sued the restaurant for negligence, alleging that the food she was served had been contaminated."
"A publisher knowingly copied an author's manuscript, giving the author grounds to sue for the tort of copyright infringement."
"The court held that the defendant's careless handling of the parcel constituted a tort."
The plural is used when referring to multiple wrongful acts or categories of civil liability.
"The newspaper's unfounded allegations constituted several distinct torts."
A tort is a civil wrong—not necessarily a crime.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does tort come from?
The word entered English from French tort, meaning “wrong” or “injury,” in the Middle English period. French tort was derived from Latin tortum, the neuter form of the past participle of torquere, meaning “to twist.” Words such as torture, torque, torsion, and tortuous ultimately share this Latin root, although they developed distinct meanings.
Related word forms
How tort is actually used
Tort is primarily a term of civil law. It ordinarily describes a wrong for which damages are sought, rather than a criminal offense, although the same conduct may sometimes support both civil and criminal proceedings.
Easily confused with tort
A tort is a legal wrong, whereas tortuous means twisted, winding, or circuitous and is also used figuratively for indirect reasoning.