CultureJuly 17, 2026

apostate

/ˈæp.ə.steɪt/

Definition

A person who has renounced or abandoned their previous religious or political beliefs, principles, or party.

Etymology

Derived from the Greek word 'apostates,' meaning 'runaway' or 'renegade,' literally 'one who stands apart.' It entered English through Late Latin to describe someone who has defected from a faith or cause.

In the news

The term is used here as the title of the author's own book, 'The Lives of the Apostates,' referring to individuals who have turned away from their established spiritual or ideological communities.

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