de·sert·er
| \ di-ˈzər-tər
\
\
plural deserters
Definition of deserter
: a person who deserts
… the deserter of his father in his last days, betrayer of his brother in his captivity …— Amy Kelly
especially
: a member of a military force who abandons service without leave
a wartime deserter But now that Anderson has been AWOL for more than 30 days, he is known in the U.S. military as a deserter, facing the possibility of years in jail. — Daniel Eisenberg At a prison camp for German army deserters, Herold ordered the execution of more than 100 soldiers. — Michael Phillips
Keep scrolling for more
Learn More About deserter
Statistics for deserter
Look-up Popularity
Cite this Entry
“Deserter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deserter. Accessed 28 Sep. 2021.
Style: MLA
MLA
Chicago
APA
Merriam-Webster
Chicago
APA
Merriam-Webster
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for deserter
deserter
noun
English Language Learners Definition of deserter
: a soldier who leaves without permission : a military person who deserts
See the full definition for deserter in the English Language Learners Dictionary
Test Your Vocabulary
Dog Words Quiz
-
- Which of the following animals has a dog in its etymology?
Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz!
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Share deserter
Time Traveler for deserter
The first known use of deserter was in 1631
See more words from the same year