fugitive

Etymology

From Middle English fugitive, fugityve, fugityf, fugitife, fugytif, fugitif, from Latin fugitīvus.

noun

1. A person who flees or escapes and travels secretly from place to place, and sometimes using disguises and aliases to conceal his/her identity, as to avoid law authorities in order to avoid an arrest or prosecution; or to avoid some other unwanted situation.

adj

1. Fleeing or running away; escaping.
2. Transient, fleeting or ephemeral.
3. Elusive or difficult to retain.