evacuation

[ih-vak-yoo-ey-shuhn]

noun

1. the act or process of evacuating, or the condition of being evacuated; discharge or expulsion, as of contents.

2. Physiology.,  discharge, as of waste matter through the excretory passages, especially from the bowels.

3. something evacuated or discharged.

4. the removal of persons or things from an endangered area.

5. clearance by removal of troops, equipment, etc.

6. the withdrawal or removal of troops, civilians, etc.

Other Word Forms

• evacuative adjective
• nonevacuation noun
• reevacuation noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of evacuation¹

1350–1400; Middle English evacuacioun < Late Latin ēvacuātion- (stem of ēvacuātiō ). See evacuate, -ion

Example Sentences

The fires forced the evacuation of the Chinese Camp Town, which is a California Gold Rush mining town where thousands of Chinese immigrants settled in the late 1800s.

From Los Angeles Times

Amid January’s historic firestorm in Pacific Palisades and Altadena, the Sunset fire ignited in the Hollywood Hills near Runyon Canyon, prompting widespread evacuation orders and massive traffic jams as residents rushed to flee the area.

From Los Angeles Times

She added that "the evacuation itself was very organised and safe", with passengers getting "back on to the platform without any issues".

From BBC

On the evacuation of injured children, Lammy said: "It relies entirely on Israeli permissions, and I'm pressing the Israeli government for this to happen as quickly as possible."

From BBC

“Generally in life, when you have more exits and evacuation routes, things are generally more safe,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• departure 
• exodus 
• removal 
• retreat