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defection

[ dih-fek-shuhn ]
/ dɪˈfɛk ʃən /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR defection

noun

desertion from allegiance, loyalty, duty, or the like; apostasy: His defection to East Germany was regarded as treasonable.
failure; lack; loss: He was overcome by a sudden defection of courage.

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Origin of defection

1535–45; <Latin dēfectiōn- (stem of dēfectiō), equivalent to dēfect(us) (see defect) + -iōn--ion

ANTONYMS FOR defection

1 loyalty.
SEE ANTONYMS FOR defection

OTHER WORDS FROM defection

non·de·fec·tion, nounre·de·fec·tion, noun

Words nearby defection

defeatist, defeature, defecate, defect, defectible, defection, defective, defective bacteriophage, defective virus, defector, defederalize
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to defection

rejection, divorce, revolt, failure, desertion, withdrawal, repudiation, failing, disloyalty, alienation, severance, dereliction, lack, rebellion, backsliding, deficiency, estrangement, retreat, separation, disaffection

Example sentences from the Web for defection

British Dictionary definitions for defection

defection
/ (dɪˈfɛkʃən) /

noun

the act or an instance of defecting
abandonment of duty, allegiance, principles, etc; backsliding
another word for defect (def. 1), defect (def. 2)
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012