renegade

American  

[ren-i-geyd] / ˈrɛn ɪˌgeɪd /

noun

1. a person who deserts a party or cause for another.

   Synonyms:

   dissenter , betrayer , deserter , traitor

2. an apostate from a religious faith.

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adjective

1. of or like a renegade; traitorous.

renegade British  

/ ˈrɛnɪˌɡeɪd /

noun

1. 1. a person who deserts his or her cause or faith for another; apostate; traitor

   2. ( as modifier )

      a renegade priest

2. any outlaw or rebel

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Etymology

Origin of renegade

First recorded in 1575–85; from Spanish renegado, from Medieval Latin renegātus, noun use of past participle of renegāre “to desert”; renege

Example Sentences

A few clicks on Google will find decades of stories raising doubts about his suitability, often accompanied by pictures of Andrew in a top hat, like a renegade Monopoly piece.

From BBC

The vaunted intelligence service of close ally, Cuba, has worked to identify plots and renegades, with intelligence officers placed in every unit.

From The Wall Street Journal

The rivalry with Gates and Microsoft has been more than just about stock prices and publicity, though, or even beyond personal—Gates the nerd, Ellison the renegade.

From Barron's

Its protagonist, a wandering mercenary, seeks revenge on a group of renegades who murdered her family.

From The Wall Street Journal

As the show points out, these designers were regularly dismissed as “outlaws,” “iconoclasts” and “renegades,” all terms they would come to embrace.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• defector
• deserter
• dissident
• heretic
• insurgent
• mutineer
• traitor