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

• apostate
• backstabber
• betrayer
• double-crosser
• double-dealer
• Judas
• quisling
• recreant
• serpent
• snake
• turncoat

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

Stephen Fry, Ted Lasso star Nick Mohammed and singer Paloma Faith are just three of the 19 celebs entering the castle to sniff out the traitors from the faithfuls in the first celebrity season of the smash hit on the BBC. —Max Goldbart, Deadline, 13 May 2025

The former sees the latter as a pro-European traitor and а success symbol born of the imperial decline that Soviet-era bureaucrats have yet to accept. —Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 12 May 2025

After weeks of discussions, betrayals and guessing, Barnes and team-mate Joe Worrall were revealed as the traitors and won the game. —Andy Jones, New York Times, 2 May 2025

Few things in this war have been more morally disgusting than the present hunt after traitors and Quislings. —Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 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