traitor

== English == === Alternative forms === traitour (obsolete) === Etymology === From Middle English traitor, traitour, traytour, from Old French traïtor (French traître), from Latin trāditor. Displaced native Middle English swike from Old English swica (“traitor”), and Middle English proditour and traditour borrowed directly from Latin. The general Old English word denoting "traitor" was lǣwa or lǣwend. Doublet of traditor. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈtɹeɪtə(ɹ)/ (US) enPR: trā′tər, IPA(key): /ˈtɹeɪtɚ/, [ˈtʰɹeɪɾɚ] Homophone: trader (in dialects with flapping) Rhymes: -eɪtə(ɹ) === Noun === traitor (plural traitors) Someone who violates an allegiance and betrays their country; someone guilty of treason; one who, in breach of trust, delivers their country to an enemy, or yields up any fort or place entrusted to their defense, or surrenders an army or body of troops to the enemy, unless when vanquished. Someone who takes arms and levies war against their country; or one who aids an enemy in conquering their country. Synonyms: turncoat, withersake; see also Thesaurus:defector (by extension) One who betrays any confidence or trust. Synonyms: betrayer, fink, snake, snake in the grass; see also Thesaurus:betrayer ==== Synonyms ==== (all senses): Benedict Arnold (US), quisling, Judas ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Verb === traitor (third-person singular simple present traitors, present participle traitoring, simple past and past participle traitored) To act the traitor toward; to betray; to deceive. ==== Translations ==== === Adjective === traitor (comparative more traitor, superlative most traitor) Traitorous. ==== Translations ==== == Old French == === Alternative forms === traïtor === Etymology === Adaptation of Latin trāditor, trāditorem. === Noun === traitor oblique singular, m (oblique plural traitors, nominative singular traitre, nominative plural traitor) traitor ==== Related terms ==== traïson ==== Descendants ==== French: traître Norman: traître (Jersey) Walloon: traite → Middle English: traytour, traitour, traitorEnglish: traitor→ Middle Irish: trétúirIrish: tréatúir == Old Occitan == === Etymology === From Latin trāditor, trāditorem. === Noun === traitor m (oblique plural traitors, nominative singular traitors, nominative plural traitor) traitor === References === Walther von Wartburg (1928–2002), “traditor”, in Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, volume 13: To–Tyrus, pages 152–153