traitor

noun

trai·​tor ˈtrā-tər 

1

: one who betrays another's trust or is false to an obligation or duty

2

: one who commits treason

Synonyms of traitor

• betrayer
• snake

Examples of traitor in a Sentence

She has been called a traitor to the liberal party's cause.

He was a traitor who betrayed his country by selling military secrets to the enemy.

Recent Examples on the Web

Viktor Medvedchuk, a Ukrainian traitor and close Putin ally, whom the Russian president wanted to install in Zelenskyy’s place after the invasion, recently spelled out Kremlin goals to the official TASS newswire. —Trudy Rubin, Twin Cities, 23 Nov. 2025

Viktor Medvedchuk, a Ukrainian traitor and close Putin ally, whom the Russian president wanted to install in Zelenskyy’s place after the invasion, recently spelled out Kremlin goals to the official TASS newswire. —Trudy Rubin, Mercury News, 22 Nov. 2025

The government put me on a deck of cards, called it a deck of traitors. —Leo Barraclough, Variety, 21 Nov. 2025

Each one of these traitors to our Country should be ARRESTED AND PUT ON TRIAL. —Greta Bjornson, PEOPLE, 20 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English traytour, from Anglo-French traitre, from Latin traditor, from tradere to hand over, deliver, betray, from trans-, tra- trans- + dare to give — more at date

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing traitor

• turn traitor

Rhymes for traitor

• cater
• crater
• frater
• freighter
• gator
• grater
• greater
• hater
• krater
• later
• plater
• prater

Kids Definition

traitor

noun

trai·​tor ˈtrāt-ər 

1

: one who betrays another's trust or is false to an obligation or duty

2

: one who commits treason

Etymology

Middle English traitre "traitor," from early French traitre (same meaning), from Latin traditor (same meaning), derived from tradere "to hand over, betray" — related to treason see Word History at treason