Casualty, n.; pl. Casualties.
Etymology: [F. casualité, LL. casualitas.]
1. That which comes without design or without being foreseen; contingency. Losses that befall them by mere casualty. Sir W. Raleigh.
2. Any injury of the body from accident; hence, death, or other misfortune, occasioned by an accident; as, an unhappy casualty.
3. pl. (Mil. & Naval)
Numerical loss caused by death, wounds, discharge, or desertion. Casualty ward, A ward in a hospital devoted to the treatment of injuries received by accident.
1 more senses
Syn. -- Accident; contingency; fortuity; misfortune.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for casualty; he lists it under accident, hazard.
He lists it without comment; the entries above explain its neighbors.