insubordinate

adj, verb, noun — 3 senses

insubordinate

adj

Etymology From in- + subordinate, on model of French insubordonné.

1

Rebellious or defiant to authority; contumacious.

I remembered with confusion my insubordinate and stealthy conduct, and when I saw where it had brought me […] I felt ashamed to look him in the face.1881–1882, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island, London; Paris: Cassell & Company, published 14 November 1883, →OCLC:

insubordinate

verb

Etymology From in- + subordinate, on model of French insubordonné.

1

Dialectal, Informal, Nonstandard To rebel or defy authority.

I think it's moral to insubordinate against a controlling boss.

Derived terms: insubordinately, insubordinateness

insubordinate

noun

Etymology From in- + subordinate, on model of French insubordonné.

1

A person who defies authority.

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.