Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Traitor

Trai′tor

,
Noun.
[OE.
traitour
, OF.
traïtor
,
traïteur
, F.
treître
, L.
traditor
, fr.
tradere
,
traditum
, to deliver, to give up or surrender treacherously, to betray;
trans
across, over +
dare
to give. See
Date
time, and cf.
Betray
,
Tradition
,
Traditor
,
Treason
.]
1.
One who violates his allegiance and betrays his country; one guilty of treason; one who, in breach of trust, delivers his country to an enemy, or yields up any fort or place intrusted to his defense, or surrenders an army or body of troops to the enemy, unless when vanquished; also, one who takes arms and levies war against his country; or one who aids an enemy in conquering his country. See
Treason
.
O passing
traitor
, perjured and unjust!
Shakespeare
2.
Hence, one who betrays any confidence or trust; a betrayer.
“This false traitor death.”
Chaucer.

Trai′tor

,
Adj.
Traitorous.
[R.]
Spenser. Pope.

Trai′tor

,
Verb.
T.
To act the traitor toward; to betray; to deceive.
[Obs.]
“ But time, it traitors me.”
Lithgow.

Webster 1828 Edition


Traitor

TRA'ITOR

,
Noun.
[L. traditor; trado, to deliver.]
1.
One who violates his allegiance and betrays his country; one guilty of treason; one who, in breach of trust, delivers his country to its enemy, or any fort or place entrusted to his defense, or who surrenders an army or body of troops to the enemy, unless when vanquished; or one who takes arms and levies war against his country; or one who aids an enemy in conquering his country. [See Treason.]
2.
One who betrays his trust.

Definition 2024


traïtor

traïtor

See also: traitor

Old French

Noun

traïtor m (oblique plural traïtors, nominative singular traïtre, nominative plural traïtor)

  1. Alternative form of traitor

Usage notes

  • Diaereses are used by some, but not all scholars, to show that two or more vowels do not constitute a diphthong or triphthong. See Appendix:Old French spellings for more information.