Traitor and Tradition Come From the Same Verb
A traitor betrays a trust. The Latin means to hand over, which also gives us tradition, and the two senses share a root.
A traitor betrays a trust or a country. The Latin *tradere* means to hand over, and it produced two very different English words: *traitor*, who hands something over to the enemy, and *tradition*, what is handed down from one generation to the next. Handing over is neutral; what matters is to whom.
- Someone who betrays. *Branded a traitor.*
- Someone disloyal to a cause. *A traitor to his own side.*
- Treacherous — betraying trust, or dangerously unstable. *Treacherous ice.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | traitor | A convicted traitor. |
| Plural | traitors | Hunting traitors. |
| Adjective | treacherous | Treacherous conditions. |
| Noun | treachery | An act of treachery. |
| Related | treason | Charged with treason. |
How it is used in a sentence
- He was denounced as a traitor.Political.
- The path was treacherous after the frost.Physically dangerous.
- Tradition comes from the same Latin verb.Handing down rather than handing over.
The handing family
- Traitor — one who hands over
- Treason — the act of betraying a state
- Tradition — what is handed down
- Betray — from a related Latin root through French
- Extradite — hand someone over to another jurisdiction
From Old French *traitour*, from Latin *traditor*, one who hands over, from *tradere*, to deliver or hand down. *Tradition* comes from the same verb.
Are traitor and tradition really related?
Yes. Both come from Latin *tradere*, to hand over. Tradition hands things down through time; a traitor hands them to an enemy.
Traitor or treason?
A traitor is the person; treason is the offence. Not every betrayal is legally treason, which usually concerns the state.