I. əˈpäˌstāt, -_stə̇t also -ȯˌs-; usu -d.+V noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French & Late Latin; Middle French apostate, from Late Latin apostata, from Greek apostatēs, literally, deserter, rebel, from aphistanai
1. : one who has renounced or forsaken his religious faith or given up his moral allegiance
a Church decree … excommunicated as apostates all … “who profess … the materialistic and anti-Christian doctrine” — H.L.Matthews
2. : one who has given up the principles or party to which he adhered : renegade
that incomparable apostate from intelligence, George Moore — H.J.Laski
II. adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from apostate, n.
1. : relating to or characterized by apostasy
the child of an apostate … Catholic — Time
: faithless to moral allegiance : renegade
so spoke the apostate angel — John Milton
2. : abandoning or involving the abandonment of any form of allegiance
an apostate and unnatural connection with any foreign power — George Washington