dis ‧ si ‧ dent /ˈdɪsəd ə nt, ˈdɪsɪd ə nt/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1500-1600 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: dissidere 'to sit apart, disagree' , from sedere 'to sit' ]
someone who publicly criticizes the government in a country where this is punished:
a political dissident
—dissident adjective [only before noun] :
dissident writers
—dissidence noun [uncountable]