damnum absque injuria

noun

When one person causes damage or loss to another for which the latter has no remedy. (For example, opening a burger stand near someone else's may cause them to lose customers, but they will have no legal recourse.)

OriginLatin damnum absque injuria →
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Meanings

noundamnum absque injuria (uncountable)
  1. uncountableWhen one person causes damage or loss to another for which the latter has no remedy. (For example, opening a burger stand near someone else's may cause them to lose customers, but they will have no legal recourse.)

Origin

  1. Latindamnum absque injuria“loss without injury”
  2. Englishdamnum absque injuria

Borrowed from Latin damnum absque injuria (“loss without injury”).

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

damnum absque injuria. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/damnum%20absque%20injuria

MLA

“damnum absque injuria.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/damnum%20absque%20injuria. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “damnum absque injuria,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/damnum%20absque%20injuria.

Source: damnum absque injuria on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.