recreant

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“
Craig believed he was hitting Latisan five solid jolts to the jaw when he named the recreant operators.

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Definitions (13)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (4)

  1. adjective Unfaithful or disloyal to a belief, duty, or cause.
  2. adjective Craven or cowardly.
  3. noun A faithless or disloyal person.
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Examples (50)

  • After Ninon had suffered from the indiscretion of the lover who made public the story of the famous pledge given la Chatre, she lost her fancy for the recreant, and though friendly, refused any closer tie. —  Life, Letters, and Epicurean Philosophy of Ninon de L'Enclos, the Celebrated Beauty of the Seventeenth Century
  • One would almost have applied to the young nobleman the term "recreant," had he wavered when the descendant of Mary Stuart claimed his services. —  Memoirs of the Jacobites of 1715 and 1745 Volume II.
  • And now I am a recreant, and he who aided and abetted me in my asseverations of independence remains faithful. —  The Opinions of a Philosopher
  • Your knight of the silver mantle I proclaim a recreant, as treacherous as he is base. —  Traditions of Lancashire, Volume 1 (of 2)
  • The recreant was a lieutenant in the Swiss Guard of the Duke; and when he had led the Germans into Mantua, and received the reward of his infamy, two German soldiers, placed over him for his protection, killed him and plundered him of his spoil The sack now began, and lasted three days, with unspeakable horrors. —  Italian Journeys
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Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary. Copyright © 2003, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Middle English recreaunt, defeated, from Old French recreant, present participle of recroire, to yield in a trial by combat, surrender allegiance, from Medieval Latin recrēdere, to yield, pledge : Latin re-, re- + Latin crēdere, to believe; see kerd- in Indo-European roots.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. from Middle English recreant, recreaunt, recrayhand, from Old French recreant, recreaunt, giving up the contest, acknowledging defeat, weary; as a noun, one who acknowledges defeat, a craven, recreant; from Middle Latin recreden (t-)s, present participle (cf. equivalent recreditus, a recreant, properly past participle) of recredere (later Old French recroire), give in, recant; se recredere, own oneself beaten in a duel or judicial combat; literally ‘believe again,’ from Latin re-, again, + credere, believe: see credent. Cf. miscreant.
 

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/ˈrɛkrəənt/
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