Standard Lemma guide

dissenter

noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • rhymes with -ɛntə(ɹ)
  • General-American: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: D IH0 S EH1 N T ER0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Someone who dissents (disagrees), especially from an established church.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: dissident

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A Protestant Christian who does not follow the established church, the Church of England.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK

Examples

  • Near-synonyms: (all sometimes synonymous) Nonconformist, recusant, Free Churchman; autem cackler (archaic cant)

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: Nonconformist, recusant, Free Churchman, autem cackler

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: dissenter, dissident, nonconformist, Reformer

3

noun

Meaning 3

A person who took part in the Dissenters' March in Moscow.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: dissenter, dissident

4

noun

Meaning 4

a person who dissents from some established policy

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: dissident, protester, objector, contestant

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: person, individual, someone, somebody, mortal, soul

Narrower terms: conscientious objector, CO, nonconformist, recusant, political dissident, NIMBY

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English dissent Proto-Indo-European *-yósder. Proto-Italic *-āzios Latin -āriusnom. Latin -āriusbor. Proto-Germanic *-ārijaz Proto-West Germanic *-ārī Old English -ere Middle English -ere English -er English dissenter From dissent + -er.

Across languages

Translations

27 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 反對者 /反对者 (fǎnduìzhe) — someone who dissents
  • Chinese Mandarin: 異議分子 /异议分子 (yìyì fēnzǐ) — someone who dissents
  • Dutch: dissident — someone who dissents
  • Finnish: toisinajattelija — someone who dissents
  • French: dissident — someone who dissents
  • French: dissidente — someone who dissents
  • German: Dissident — someone who dissents
  • German: Dissidentin — someone who dissents
  • German: Dissenter — someone who dissents
  • German: Dissenterin — someone who dissents
  • German: Abweichler — someone who dissents
  • Greek: αμφισβητίας (amfisvitías) — someone who dissents
  • Japanese: 反体制 (hantaisei) — someone who dissents
  • Japanese: 反体制派 (hantaiseiha) — someone who dissents
  • Japanese: 反対者 (hantaisha) — someone who dissents
  • Korean: 반대자 (bandaeja) — someone who dissents
  • Māori: kaitāwari — someone who dissents
  • Māori: kaiwhakahē — someone who dissents
  • Polish: dysydent — someone who dissents
  • Portuguese: divergente — someone who dissents
  • Russian: диссиде́нт (dissidént) — someone who dissents
  • Russian: диссиде́нтка (dissidéntka) — someone who dissents
  • Russian: инакомы́слящий (inakomýsljaščij) — someone who dissents
  • Russian: инакомы́слящая (inakomýsljaščaja) — someone who dissents
  • Russian: диссе́нтер (dissɛ́ntɛr) — someone who dissents
  • Spanish: disidente — someone who dissents
  • Spanish: disintiente — someone who dissents