traitor
Americannoun
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traitors
plural
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a person who betrays another person, a cause, or any trust.
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a person who commits treason by betraying their country.
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of traitor
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English from Old French from Latin trāditōr-, stem of trāditor “betrayer”; see traditor
Explanation
A traitor says one thing but does another. If you promise a friend you'll keep his secret, but instead you blab it to everyone, you're a traitor. The word origin says it all: traditorem is the Latin word for "betrayer." Liar? Yes. Backstabber? Yes. True friend? Heavens, no. Traitors betray the trust of those who have faith in them or believe their promises. Traitor also applies to a person who betrays his country by committing treason: turning against his own government, perhaps by selling secret information.
Vocabulary lists containing traitor
The Watsons Go to Birmingham
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The American Revolution - Introductory
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"Macbeth" Vocabulary from Act IV
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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.
See Examples For:
"I did not choose the traitor life, the traitor life chose me," said the latest recruit to the dark side.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
The remaining traitors, Maya Jama and James Acaster, met in the turret later with the choice of murdering previously shortlisted players Jerry Hall and Hannah Fry, or seducing a third traitor to replace Grant.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
“Romesh, Joe, Rob know me really well. They all know that I don’t change my mind overnight,” he said, as he pondered whether to turn and help fellow traitor Richard E Grant clear his name.
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026
"You came into the bar, and said you were a traitor," she told him.
From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026
He was eager to arrest Thomas Jefferson as a traitor to the king.
From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis
The uproar over “NAZA” has also led the filmmakers to be called traitors in their country.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
He particularly enjoyed filming “New Blood,” which puts real people to the test as traitors and faithful instead of celebrities.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026
His fellow traitors clearly wanted to be supportive, but things were getting dicey.
From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026
A total of 21 presenters, comedians, actors and musicians will try their hand at being traitors and faithfuls in the show, which airs on 1 October.
From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026
Is it Dauntless traitors, guarding me, or the Erudite, observing me?
From "Insurgent" by Veronica Roth
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.
