traitor

[trey-ter]

noun

1. a person who betrays another person, a cause, or any trust.

2. a person who commits treason by betraying their country.

traitor

/ ˈtreɪtə /

noun

1. a person who is guilty of treason or treachery, in betraying friends, country, a cause or trust, etc

Other Word Forms

• traitorship noun
• traitorous adjective
• traitress noun
• traitorously adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of traitor¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English from Old French from Latin trāditōr-, stem of trāditor “betrayer”; traditor

Word History and Origins

Origin of traitor¹

C13: from Old French traitour , from Latin trāditor _traditor

Related Words

• conspirator 
• deserter 
• hypocrite 
• impostor 
• informer 
• renegade 
• spy 
• turncoat