apostate (n.)
mid-14c., "one who forsakes his religion or faith," from Old French apostat and directly from Late Latin apostata (which form also was used in Middle English), from Greek apostasia, apostasis "defection, desertion, rebellion," from apostanai "to defect," literally "to stand off," from apo "off, away from" (see apo-) + stanai, aorist of histanai "to set, place," literally "cause to stand" (from PIE root *sta- "to stand, make or be firm").
The word was used from mid-14c. in non-religious situations, "one who has forsaken the party, opinion, etc., to which he previously adhered."
apostate (adj.)
"unfaithful to a religious creed or to a principle," late 14c., see apostate (n.).
updated on September 23, 2022
Dictionary entries near apostate
apoplexy
aporetic
aporia
aposiopesis
apostasy
apostate
apostatise
apostatize
apostille
apostle
apostleship
