refuge
a condition of being safe or sheltered
-ee
one who receives action
The base refuge and suffix -ee have come together and formed the word refugee. Refuge means to be safe and -ee is someone who receives an action. So that means refugee should be someone who is receiving the action of being safe or sheltered. SO someone that is being forced out of their home for some reason is in the act of taking shelter somewhere else, thus the definition of refugee is a person forced from their home or country to escape war.
refugee
-a person forced from their home or country to escape war, persecution, natural disaster, etc.
Hundreds of refugees left their homes to escape the inevitable fighting.