dissident

[dis-i-duhnt]

noun

1. a person who dissents.

adjective

1. disagreeing or dissenting, as in opinion or attitude.

   a ban on dissident magazines.

dissident

/ ˈdɪsɪdənt /

adjective

1. disagreeing; dissenting

noun

1. a person who disagrees, esp one who disagrees with the government

Other Word Forms

• dissidently adverb
• antidissident noun
• nondissident adjective
• dissidence noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of dissident¹

1525–35; < Latin dissident- (stem of dissidēns, present participle of dissidēre to sit apart), equivalent to dis- dis- ¹ + -sid- (combining form of sed- repair ¹ ) + -ent- -ent

Word History and Origins

Origin of dissident¹

C16: from Latin dissidēre to be remote from, from _dis- ¹ + sedēre to sit

Example Sentences

Weiss has cultivated a reputation as a reasonable dissident, eliding outright partisanship and granting her the appearance of neutrality while claiming the mantle to question progressive orthodoxy.

From Salon

The group warned Saudi dissidents, journalists, and human rights activists were being unjustly detained.

From BBC

Human rights groups believe there is an unwritten agreement among the four neighbouring countries to allow each other's security forces to pursue dissidents over the border.

From BBC

He had also been accused of spying on Chinese dissidents and opposition figures in Germany.

From BBC

He said the same network had also carried out reconnaissance for a planned attack on a Russian dissident and businesses he owned in London.

From BBC

Related Words

• protester www.thesaurus.com
• rebel 
• separatist