Apostate - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
An apostate is a person who renounces or abandons their religious faith, political beliefs, or principles. The term often implies betrayal or a significant departure from previously held convictions.
Definition:
A person who renounces a religious or political belief or principle.
Synonyms:
defector, traitor, renegade, turncoat
Part of Speech:
noun
Antonyms:
loyalist, adherent, follower
Common Collocations:
religious apostate, political apostate, become an apostate, accuse of apostasy
Derivatives:
apostasy, apostatize
Usage Tips:
Use "apostate" to describe someone who abandons a deeply held belief, often in a formal or historical context.
Common Phrases:
branded an apostate, apostate from the faith, political apostate
Etymology:
From Greek "apostatēs," meaning "rebel" or "deserter," via Late Latin "apostata."
Examples:
- 1. The preacher called him an apostate for leaving the church.
- 2. She was labeled an apostate after rejecting her family's political ideology.
- 3. Historians debate whether he was a reformer or an apostate.
- 4. The group shunned the apostate for abandoning their teachings.