apostate

[uh-pos-teyt, -tit]

noun

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

adjective

1. of or characterized by apostasy.

apostate

/ ˌæpəˈstætɪkəl, əˈpɒsteɪt, -tɪt /

noun

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

adjective

1. guilty of apostasy

Other Word Forms

• apostatical adjective
• apostatically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of apostate¹

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

Example Sentences

A prominent Taliban cleric had publicly singled him out as an apostate — a traitor to Islam — placing a bullseye on his head.

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On the walls, someone had spray painted graffiti calling Alawites dogs and apostates.

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Some Iranian media praised the attack, and described Mr Rushdie as an apostate - someone who has abandoned or denied his faith - in their coverage.

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IS, which remains active in Syria through both operatives and sleeper cells, has declared its ongoing jihad in the country and denounced the HTS-led rebel authority as "apostates" allegedly brought to power by "infidel" forces.

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Harris' bipartisan outreach to the small group of Republican apostates is downright quaint by comparison.

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When To Use

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.