Adjective
the victors had only contempt for the recreant enemy soldiers who surrendered without firing a shot recreant campaign workers who walked out as soon as their candidate began dropping in the pollsNoun
traditionally armies have dealt harshly with recreants, with execution being a common punishment for desertion during wartime
the historian reserved his greatest contempt for those recreants who opposed the witch hunt but lacked the courage to speak out against it
Word History
Etymology
Adjective
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from present participle of (se) recreire to give up, yield, from Medieval Latin (se) recredere to resign oneself (to a judgment), from Latin re- + credere to believe — more at creed
Share