defector
Americannoun
Other Word Forms
- nondefector noun
- redefector noun
Etymology
Origin of defector
1655–65; < Latin dēfector renegade, rebel, equivalent to dēfec- (variant stem of dēficere to become disaffected, revolt, literally, to fail; see defect) + -tor -tor
Explanation
A person who quits something, despite a perceived duty or obligation, is a defector. If you abandon the Boston Red Sox to root for the New York Yankees instead, your fellow Bostonians will consider you a defector. In politics, defectors abandon their home countries and claim allegiance to another. A person can only be a defector if the first state forbids such a change and considers it illegal or illegitimate, as the government of North Korea does when one of its citizens leaves the country. Abandoning a military post also makes someone a defector. In your life, you're more likely to be considered a defector (by some) if you change political parties or stop being a vegetarian.
Vocabulary lists containing defector
Selection Vocabulary 1, Unit 6
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocabulary for July 15–July 21, 2023
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocabulary for June 17–June 23, 2023
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Mr. Magyar, a defector from Fidesz, campaigned hard on the economy, which grew a mere 0.4% in 2025.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026
Meanwhile, another recent Tory defector, Suella Braverman, has been handed the education and skills brief, with deputy leader Richard Tice given a new role combining business, trade and energy policy.
From BBC • Feb. 17, 2026
During the interview, the pair also pleaded to be sent to the South, according to GNU chief Jang Se-yul, himself a North Korean defector who fled the isolated country in the 2000s.
From Barron's • Dec. 24, 2025
The term predatory incursion is also used literally in writings of that period to refer to slightly smaller attacks like the 1781 Raid on Richmond led by American defector Benedict Arnold.
From Salon • Mar. 17, 2025
He tried to convince them that he wasn’t a defector, that he had merely been visiting family in China and was coming home to vote.
From "Escape from Camp 14: One Man's Remarkable Odyssey from North Korea to Freedom in the West" by Blaine Harden
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
