renegade meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

renegade

noun

UK /ˈɹɛ.nəˌɡeɪd/ · US /ˈɹɛ.nɪˌɡeɪd/

Etymology From Spanish renegado, from Medieval Latin renegātus, perfect participle of renegō (“to deny”). See also renege.

An outlaw or rebel.

A disloyal person who betrays or deserts a cause, religion, political party, friend, etc.

Derived terms: paragade, renegade row, renegadism
Related terms: negate and its related terms, abnegate, neglect, negative, negotiate, négligée

verb

Etymology From Spanish renegado, from Medieval Latin renegātus, perfect participle of renegō (“to deny”). See also renege.

Dated To desert one's cause, or change one's loyalties; to commit betrayal.

The recent arrangement, obtained by Lord Stratford, as to the case of a Christian renegading to Mohammedanism […]1859, Wesleyan-Methodist Magazine, volume 3, page 740:

adj

Etymology From Spanish renegado, from Medieval Latin renegātus, perfect participle of renegō (“to deny”). See also renege.

Deserting, treacherous, disloyal.

Broadly Unconventional, unorthodox.

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