traitor

noun

trai·tor ˈtrā-tər

Synonyms of traitor next

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

: one who commits treason

Example Sentences

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 Now, this pioneer of nationalist bravado is the one fending off criticisms of being too moderate, too cozy with the West, even a traitor. —

Vivian Wang, New York Times, 27 Oct. 2022 The senior Foreign Service Officer of the agency, Jock Shirley, objected by saying that the Soviet people have a lockstep mentality and consider any outlier a traitor. —

WSJ, 1 Nov. 2022 Some of them had worked with the United States and were seen by the new Taliban government as traitors. —

Geraldo Cadava, The New Yorker, 17 Feb. 2023 The Georgia Senate approved placing a statue of Thomas at the state capitol Tuesday, but State Sen. Emanuel Jones, D-Ga., slammed the justice, the second Black citizen to serve on the Supreme Court, as a traitor to his racial group. —

Alexander Hall, Fox News, 16 Feb. 2023 Some responses called him a traitor. —

Robyn Dixon, Washington Post, 6 Aug. 2022 That Peter’s father did hand over secrets and was a traitor, so to speak. —

Hunter Ingram, Variety, 23 Mar. 2023 Owen wears a wire for his encounter with O’Brien but the Honor Dogs crash and announce that there’s a traitor in their midst; TK searches for a missing Carlos. —

Olivia Mccormack, Washington Post, 14 Feb. 2023 Mike Pence is a traitor. —

Democrat-gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 10 Nov. 2022 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'traitor.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler

The first known use of traitor was in the 13th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Traitor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/traitor. Accessed 5 Jun. 2023.

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Kids Definition

traitor

noun

trai·tor ˈtrāt-ər

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

: 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