fugitive

Definition of fugitive

Etymology

From Old French fugitif.

Noun

fugitive (plural fugitives)

1. (often followed by "from") a person who is fleeing or escaping from something
   
   John was a fugitive

Adjective

fugitive

1. fleeing or running away
2. transient, fleeting or ephemeral
3. elusive or difficult to retain

Further reading

A fugitive is a person who is fleeing from police custody, whether it be from private slavery, a government arrest, government or non-government questioning, vigilante violence, or outraged private individuals. As a verbal metaphor and psychological concept, one might also be described as a "fugitive from oneself". Finally, the literary sense of "fugitive" includes the meaning of simply "fleeing".

Interpol is the international authority for the pursuit of trans-border fugitives. Europol is the European authority for the pursuit of fugitives who are on the run within Europe, and coordinates their search, while national authorities in the probable country of their stay coordinate their arrest. In the United States, the U.S. Marshals Service is the primary law enforcement agency that tracks down federal fugitives, though the Federal Bureau of Investigation also tracks fugitives.