Standard Lemma guide

turncoat

noun · verb · 3 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.

  • UK: /ˈtəːn.kəʊt/
  • US: /ˈtɝn.koʊt/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: T ER1 N K OW2 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A traitor; one who turns against a previous affiliation or allegiance.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: apostate, defector, renegade, balimbing, butterfly, changeling, runagate, traitor, transfuge, turncloak, turncoat, turntippet, withersake

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To act as a turncoat; to betray

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: quisle, sell out, traitorize, assfuck, betray, burn, cop out, cross out, cross up, double-cross, do someone dirty, do the dirty on, false, go back on, knife, let down, play someone false, renegade, sell, sell the pass, sell down the river, sell down, stab in the back, swike, turncoat

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

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

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: deserter, apostate, renegade, recreant, ratter

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: quitter

History

Etymology

A compound of turn + coat, reportedly derived from the sometime military practice of wearing uniform coats that were lined in material of a contrasting color, and which could be worn inside out to present a different appearance.

Across languages

Translations

69 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Armenian: ռենեգատ (ṙenegat) — traitor
  • Armenian: ուրացող (uracʻoġ) — traitor
  • Armenian: դավաճան (davačan) — traitor
  • Armenian: փախստակ (pʻaxstak) — traitor
  • Bashkir: хыянатсы (xıyanatsı) — traitor
  • Bashkir: хаин (xain) — traitor
  • Bashkir: һатлыҡ (hatlıq) — traitor
  • Belarusian: рэнэга́т (renehát) — traitor
  • Belarusian: перабе́жчык (pjerabjéžčyk) — traitor
  • Belarusian: здра́днiк (zdrádnik) — traitor
  • Bulgarian: изменник (izmennik) — traitor
  • Bulgarian: ренегат (renegat) — traitor
  • Catalan: trànsfuga — traitor
  • Chinese Mandarin: 叛徒 (pàntú) — traitor
  • Danish: vendekåbe — traitor
  • Dutch: renegaat — traitor
  • Dutch: afvallige — traitor
  • Dutch: deserteur — traitor
  • Dutch: verrader — traitor
  • Finnish: takinkääntäjä — traitor
  • French: renégat — traitor
  • French: apostat — traitor
  • French: traître — traitor
  • Galician: virachaquetas — traitor
  • Galician: chaqueteiro — traitor
  • Galician: defector — traitor
  • Galician: traidor — traitor
  • Galician: desertor — traitor
  • German: Überläufer — traitor
  • German: Überläuferin — traitor
  • German: Renegat — traitor
  • German: Verräter — traitor
  • Hungarian: köpönyegforgató — traitor
  • Irish: cat breac — traitor
  • Italian: voltagabbana — traitor
  • Italian: pentito — traitor
  • Italian: traditore — traitor
  • Italian: giravolta — traitor
  • Italian: banderuola — traitor
  • Japanese: 裏切り者 — traitor
  • Macedonian: вртикапа (vrtikapa) — traitor
  • Norwegian: forræder — traitor
  • Norwegian: overløper — traitor
  • Polish: zdrajca — traitor
  • Portuguese: vira-casaca — traitor
  • Russian: ренега́т (renegát) — traitor
  • Russian: перебе́жчик (perebéžčik) — traitor
  • Russian: преда́тель (predátelʹ) — traitor
  • Spanish: tránsfuga — traitor
  • Spanish: veleta — traitor
  • Spanish: renegado — traitor
  • Spanish: chaquetero — traitor
  • Spanish: cambiacasaca — traitor
  • Swahili: popo — traitor
  • Swedish: kappvändare — traitor
  • Swedish: någon som vänder kappan efter vinden — traitor
  • Swedish: överlöpare — traitor
  • Ukrainian: ренега́т (renehát) — traitor
  • Ukrainian: перебі́жчик (perebížčyk) — traitor
  • Ukrainian: пере́вертень (perévertenʹ) — traitor
  • Ukrainian: зра́дник (zrádnyk) — traitor
  • Welsh: gwrthgiliwr — traitor
  • Finnish: kääntää takkinsa — to betray
  • German: Verräter — to betray
  • German: Überläufer — to betray
  • German: Wendehals — to betray
  • Spanish: chaquetear — to betray
  • Spanish: cambiar de chaqueta — to betray
  • Spanish: cambiar la chaqueta — to betray