traitorous

English

Alternative forms

• traitourous (obsolete)
• traiterous (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English trayterous, traytrous, (also Middle English traytours, treytours), from Anglo-Norman traiterous, traitourous and Old French traitros.

Pronunciation

• enPR: trāt′ərəs, IPA^(key): /ˈtɹeɪtəɹəs/
• enPR: trāt′rəs, IPA^(key): /ˈtɹeɪtɹəs/

Adjective

traitorous (comparative more traitorous, superlative most traitorous)

1. Characteristic of a traitor; disloyal.
   • c. 1587–1588, [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire, London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act II, scene ii:

     I tel you true my hart is ſwolne with wrath,
     On this ſame theeuish villain Tamburlain.
     And of that false Coſroe, my traiterous brother,
     Would it not grieue a King to be so abuſ’d?

   • c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke: […] (Second Quarto), London: […] I[ames] R[oberts] for N[icholas] L[ing] […], published 1604, →OCLC, [Act I, scene v]:

     I that inceſtuous, that adulterate beaſt, / With witchcraft of his wits, with trayterous gifts, / O wicked wit, and giftes that haue the power / So to ſeduce; wonne to his ſhamefull luſt / The will of my moſt ſeeming vertuous Queene; [...]

2. (law) Constituting treason; treasonable or seditious.

Synonyms

• traitorsome
• treacherous

Translations

characteristic of a traitor

• Bulgarian: предателски (bg) (predatelski)
• Catalan: traïdor (ca)
• Danish: forræderisk
• German: verräterisch, treulos, untreu (de)
• Greek: προδοτικός (el) m (prodotikós)

  Ancient: προδοτικός (prodotikós)

• Macedonian: предавнички m (predavnički), издајнички m (izdajnički)
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: forrædersk, forræderisk

  Nynorsk: forrædersk, forræderisk

• Spanish: traicionero (es), traidor (es)
• Swedish: förrädisk (sv)

law: constituting treason; treasonable or seditious

• Greek: στασιαστικός (el) m (stasiastikós), ανατρεπτικός (el) m (anatreptikós)
• Macedonian: предавнички m (predavnički), издајнички m (izdajnički)