apostate

American  

[uh-pos-teyt, -tit] / əˈpɒs teɪt, -tɪt /

noun

1. a person who forsakes his religion, cause, party, etc.

---

adjective

1. of or characterized by apostasy.

apostate British  

/ ˌæpəˈstætɪkəl, əˈpɒsteɪt, -tɪt /

noun

1. a person who abandons his religion, party, cause, etc

---

adjective

1. guilty of apostasy

Usage

What does apostate mean? An apostate is someone who has totally abandoned or rejected their religion. It can also be used in a slightly more general way to refer to someone who has totally abandoned or rejected their principles, cause, party, or other organization. The word typically implies that before the rejection, one had a strong connection or involvement. The act of such abandoning or rejecting is called apostasy. Both apostasy and apostate are usually used in a way that’s critical of such abandonment—or that at least implies that others who remain in the religion or cause are critical of the departure. Apostate is sometimes used more specifically to refer to someone who rejects Christianity, but the term is also used in the context of other religions, such as Islam. Less commonly, apostate can be used as an adjective meaning guilty of apostasy or characterized by apostasy, as in He was condemned for his apostate writings. Example: The pastor’s sermon condemned apostasy—the trouble is, the apostates weren’t there to hear it.

Other Word Forms

• apostatical adjective
• apostatically adverb

Etymology

Origin of apostate

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Late Latin apostata, from Greek apostátēs, equivalent to apósta(sis) apostasy + -tēs, noun suffix

Explanation

An apostate is someone who has deserted his cause. The word apostate originally comes from a Greek word that meant "runaway slave." Now, apostate has a religious or political tone to it, so someone might call you "a political apostate" if you ran for office as a Republican during one election and then ran as a Democrat in the following election.

Example Sentences

Through "Clone Wars" and "Rebels" TV viewers were privy to the evolution of Ahsoka Tano from a young Togruta Jedi apprentice to an apostate who retains her connection with the Force and her training.

From Salon • Aug. 23, 2023

“When you detransition, you’re seen as an apostate, and it’s not fair and it’s not right. I don’t hate anyone. I really don’t.”

From Washington Times • Mar. 14, 2023

This led to his being labeled an apostate.

From New York Times • Mar. 1, 2023

John McCain would sit in the back of his bus — the “Straight Talk Express” — and tell you anything you wanted to know about life as a war hero and party apostate.

From Washington Post • Dec. 3, 2021

My father never went along, having become an apostate at the age of eight over the exorbitant price of votive candles.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides