WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
tort /tɔrt/USA pronunciation
n. [countable]
-tort-, root.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Lawa wrongful or illegal act resulting in injury to another's person, property, or reputation, for which the injured party may ask for money or some compensation.
-tort-, root.
- -tort- comes from Latin, where it has the meaning "twist.'' This meaning is found in such words as: contort, distort, extort, retort, tort, torte, tortilla, tortuous, torture.
tort
(tôrt),USA pronunciation n. [Law.]
- a wrongful act, not including a breach of contract or trust, that results in injury to another's person, property, reputation, or the like, and for which the injured party is entitled to compensation.
- Medieval Latin tortum wrong, injustice, noun, nominal use of neuter of Latin tortus twisted, crooked, dubious, past participle of torquēre to twist, wring
- Old French
- Middle English: injury, wrong 1350–1400
'-tort-' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
tort
- turd
- wrong
- alpine bistort
- attractive nuisance
- bistort
- contort
- crime
- injustice
- intorted
- nasturtium
- title
- torte
- tortfeasor
- torticollis
- tortile
- tortilla
- tortillon
- tortious
- tortoise
- torture