CultureAugust 10, 2026
deserter
di-ZUR-tur
Definition
A soldier who abandons their post or military service without permission and with the intent to not return.
Etymology
The word originates from the Old French 'deserter', which traces back to the Latin 'desertor', meaning 'one who abandons.' It entered English in the 16th century to describe someone who flees from duty.
In the news
In the article, the term describes Ewan, a character in Lewis Grassic Gibbon’s Sunset Song, who is executed after attempting to leave the front lines during the First World War.
This Scottish literary giant's influence endures 125 years on
Read the full article ↗The National Scot