treason

[ tree-zuh n ]
/ ˈtri zən /

noun

the offense of acting to overthrow one's government or to harm or kill its sovereign.
a violation of allegiance to one's sovereign or to one's state.
the betrayal of a trust or confidence; breach of faith; treachery.

Origin of treason

1175–1225; Middle English tre(i)so(u)n < Anglo-French; Old French traïson < Latin trāditiōn- (stem of trāditiō) a handing over, betrayal. See tradition

synonym study for treason

1. Treason , sedition mean disloyalty or treachery to one's country or its government. Treason is any attempt to overthrow the government or impair the well-being of a state to which one owes allegiance; the crime of giving aid or comfort to the enemies of one's government. Sedition is any act, writing, speech, etc., directed unlawfully against state authority, the government, or constitution, or calculated to bring it into contempt or to incite others to hostility, ill will or disaffection; it does not amount to treason and therefore is not a capital offense. 2. See disloyalty.

OTHER WORDS FROM treason

su·per·trea·son, noun

Example sentences from the Web for treason

British Dictionary definitions for treason

treason
/ (ˈtriːzən) /

noun

violation or betrayal of the allegiance that a person owes his sovereign or his country, esp by attempting to overthrow the government; high treason
any treachery or betrayal

Derived forms of treason

treasonable or treasonous, adjective treasonableness, noun treasonably, adverb

Word Origin for treason

C13: from Old French traïson, from Latin trāditiō a handing over; see tradition, traditor