n.
One who has abandoned one's religious faith, a political party, one's principles, or a cause.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Late Latin apostata, from Greek apostatēs, from aphistanai, to revolt. See apostasy.]
apostate a·pos'tate' adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
