noun
treason
The crime of betraying one’s country or government, especially by helping an enemy.
Where it comes from
Treason is the crime of betraying one’s country or sovereign, especially by aiding an enemy. The word came through Anglo-French from Latin traditio, a handing over, surrender, or delivery, formed from tradere, to hand over. Delivery is neutral until loyalty changes what is being delivered and to whom. Handing a possession to its owner is ordinary; handing a trusted person, secret, fortress, or country to an enemy is betrayal. Treason and tradition ultimately share this language of transmission, but English received them through different histories and uses.
How the meaning developed
Treason is a handing over made criminal by the trust and allegiance it violates.
Sources
- Treason
- Treason Definition & Meaning
- American Heritage Dictionary Entry: Treason
- Treason: Etymology, Origin & Meaning
Definitions adapted from Open English WordNet where applicable. License and attribution. Word-history text comes from Lexifour’s sourced social research; pages are assembled automatically, not individually fact-checked on every update.
Updated 2026-10-05. Report a correction.