n.
Pronunciation: ə - ' päs-t ə -s ē
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -sies
Etymology: Middle English apostasie, from Late Latin apostasia, from Greek, literally, revolt, from aphistasthai to revolt, from apo- + histasthai to stand ― more at STAND
Date: 14th century
1 : renunciation of a religious faith
2 : abandonment of a previous loyalty : DEFECTION