defection

D2E1F4E1C3T1I1O1N1
UK/dɪˈfɛkʃən/

noun

An act or incidence of defecting.

“mass defection”

Similar
desertionabandonmentapostasyrenunciation
OriginLatin dēfectiō →
UncommonScrabble 15
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Meanings

noundefection (countable and uncountable, plural defections)

plural defections

  1. countableuncountableAn act or incidence of defecting.

    mass defection

    4 more examples

    military defection

    political defection

    The general’s sudden defection shocked the government.

    The party suffered another defection to the opposition.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounwithdrawing support or help despite allegiance or responsibility

Similar
desertionabandonment
Broader
withdrawal

nounthe state of having rejected your religious beliefs for your political party or a cause (often in favor of opposing beliefs or causes)

Similar
apostasyrenunciation
Broader
rejection
Also see
abandonmentapostasydesertionrenunciation

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latindēfectiō
  2. Englishdefection

From Latin dēfectiō (stem dēfectiōn-).

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek ἀποστασία
  • ἀποστασία (apostasía)act or incidence of defecting
Bulgarian отстъпничество
  • отстъпничество (otstăpničestvo)act or incidence of defecting
Catalan defecció
  • defeccióact or incidence of defecting
Chinese Mandarin 叛逃, 變節 /变节
  • 叛逃 (pàntáo)act or incidence of defecting
  • 變節 /变节 (biànjié)act or incidence of defecting
  • 叛變 /叛变 (pànbiàn)act or incidence of defecting
Dutch overlopen, desertie
  • overlopenact or incidence of defecting
  • desertieact or incidence of defecting
Finnish loikkaus
  • loikkausact or incidence of defecting
French défection
  • défectionact or incidence of defecting
German Abtrünnigkeit, Treuebruch
  • Abtrünnigkeitact or incidence of defecting
  • Treuebruchact or incidence of defecting
  • Überlaufenact or incidence of defecting
Indonesian pembelotan
  • pembelotanact or incidence of defecting
Irish tréigean
  • tréigeanact or incidence of defecting
Italian defezione, diserzione
  • defezioneact or incidence of defecting
  • diserzioneact or incidence of defecting
Japanese 変節
  • 変節 (hensetsu)act or incidence of defecting
Korean 변절
  • 변절 (byeonjeol)act or incidence of defecting
Latin transfugium, dēfectiō
  • transfugiumact or incidence of defecting
  • dēfectiōact or incidence of defecting
Portuguese deserção, defeção
  • deserçãoact or incidence of defecting
  • defeçãoact or incidence of defecting
Romanian defectare
  • defectareact or incidence of defecting
Russian наруше́ние, дезерти́рство
  • наруше́ние (narušénije)act or incidence of defecting
  • дезерти́рство (dezertírstvo)act or incidence of defecting
  • изме́на (izména)act or incidence of defecting
  • отсту́пничество (otstúpničestvo)act or incidence of defecting
Turkish ayrılma, firar
  • ayrılmaact or incidence of defecting
  • firaract or incidence of defecting
  • ihanetact or incidence of defecting
Welsh enciliad, gwrthgiliad
  • enciliadact or incidence of defecting
  • gwrthgiliadact or incidence of defecting
Cite this entry
APA

defection. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/defection

MLA

“defection.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/defection. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “defection,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/defection.

Source: defection on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.