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traitor

noun

  1. one who betrays
L227950 on Wikidata ↗

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /ˈtɹeɪtə(ɹ)/ / /ˈtɹeɪtɚ/ / [ˈtʰɹeɪɾɚ]

adj

Etymology: From Middle English traitor, traitour, traytour, from Old French traïtor (French traître), from Latin trāditor. Displaced native Middle English swike from Old English swica (“traitor”), and Middle English proditour and traditour borrowed directly from Latin. The general Old English word denoting "traitor" was lǣwa or lǣwend. Doublet of traditor.

  1. Traitorous.

    to find a subject staid and wise Already half turn'd traitor by surprise

noun

Etymology: From Middle English traitor, traitour, traytour, from Old French traïtor (French traître), from Latin trāditor. Displaced native Middle English swike from Old English swica (“traitor”), and Middle English proditour and traditour borrowed directly from Latin. The general Old English word denoting "traitor" was lǣwa or lǣwend. Doublet of traditor.

  1. Someone who violates an allegiance and betrays their country; someone guilty of treason; one who, in breach of trust, delivers their country to an enemy, or yields up any fort or place entrusted to their defense, or surrenders an army or body of troops to the enemy, unless when vanquished.

    After World War I, the communists and Jews were accused to be traitors by the German right wing (the "stab-in-the-back myth"), ultimately culminating in their persecution and massacre.

    My Lord of Hereford here whom you call King, / Is a foule traitour to proud Herefords King, / And if you crowne him let me propheſie, / The bloud of Engliſh ſhall manure the ground, / And future ages groane for this foule act, [...]

  2. Someone who takes arms and levies war against their country; or one who aids an enemy in conquering their country.
  3. One who betrays any confidence or trust.

    It's second nature now to think myself a traitor To myself, to all I've ever burdened with my rotting visage I can't breathe, the weight of all I've disappointed crushes me If I were happy, it would feel as if I couldn't trust me

    It took you two weeks To go off and date her Guess you didn't cheat But you're still, you're still a traitor Yeah, you're still a traitor

verb

Etymology: From Middle English traitor, traitour, traytour, from Old French traïtor (French traître), from Latin trāditor. Displaced native Middle English swike from Old English swica (“traitor”), and Middle English proditour and traditour borrowed directly from Latin. The general Old English word denoting "traitor" was lǣwa or lǣwend. Doublet of traditor.

  1. To act the traitor toward; to betray; to deceive.