deserter

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UK/dɪˈzɜːtə(ɹ)/US/ˈdəzɚtɚ/

noun

A person who has physically removed him- or herself from the control or direction of a military or naval unit with the intention of permanently leaving

Similar
apostaterenegadeturncoatrecreantratterdefector
OriginLatin desertor →
UncommonScrabble 9
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Meanings

noundeserter (plural deserters)

plural deserters

  1. governmentA person who has physically removed him- or herself from the control or direction of a military or naval unit with the intention of permanently leaving
    1. governmentUnder the United States Code of Military Justice, a person who has been placed on AWOL status for more than 30 days
  2. One who is familiar with the desert climate and environment.

Synonyms & antonyms

nouna disloyal person who betrays or deserts their cause or religion or political party or friend etc.

Similar
apostaterenegadeturncoatrecreantratter
Broader
quitter

nouna person who abandons their duty (as on a military post)

Similar
defector
Broader
wrongdoeroffender
Also see
apostatedefectorratterrecreantrenegadeturncoat

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latindesertor“deserter”
  2. Englishdeserter

Borrowed from Latin desertor (“deserter”), from desero (“to forsake, to abandon”); or from desert + -er.

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek αὐτόμολος, ἀποστάτης
  • αὐτόμολος (autómolos)person who leaves a military or naval unit
  • ἀποστάτης (apostátēs)person who leaves a military or naval unit
Arabic هَارِب, فَارّ
  • هَارِب (hārib)person who leaves a military or naval unit
  • فَارّ (fārr)person who leaves a military or naval unit
Bulgarian дезертьор
  • дезертьор (dezertjor)person who leaves a military or naval unit
Catalan desertor
  • desertorperson who leaves a military or naval unit
Chinese Mandarin 逃兵
  • 逃兵 (táobīng)person who leaves a military or naval unit
Czech dezertér, dezertérka
  • dezertérperson who leaves a military or naval unit
  • dezertérkaperson who leaves a military or naval unit
  • zběhperson who leaves a military or naval unit
Danish desertør
  • desertørperson who leaves a military or naval unit
Dutch deserteur
  • deserteurperson who leaves a military or naval unit
Estonian desertöör
  • desertöörperson who leaves a military or naval unit
Finnish karkuri, rintamakarkuri
  • karkuriperson who leaves a military or naval unit
  • rintamakarkuriperson who leaves a military or naval unit
  • sotilaskarkuriperson who leaves a military or naval unit
  • desertööriperson who leaves a military or naval unit
French déserteur, déserteuse
  • déserteurperson who leaves a military or naval unit
  • déserteuseperson who leaves a military or naval unit
German Deserteur, Fahnenflüchtiger
  • Deserteurperson who leaves a military or naval unit
  • Fahnenflüchtigerperson who leaves a military or naval unit
Greek λιποτάκτης
  • λιποτάκτης (lipotáktis)person who leaves a military or naval unit
Hebrew עָרִיק
  • עָרִיק (arík)person who leaves a military or naval unit
Hindi भागू, भग्गू
  • भागू (bhāgū)person who leaves a military or naval unit
  • भग्गू (bhaggū)person who leaves a military or naval unit
  • पलायक (palāyak)person who leaves a military or naval unit
Hungarian dezertőr, szökevény
  • dezertőrperson who leaves a military or naval unit
  • szökevényperson who leaves a military or naval unit
Indonesian desertir
  • desertirperson who leaves a military or naval unit
Italian disertore, disertrice
  • disertoreperson who leaves a military or naval unit
  • disertriceperson who leaves a military or naval unit
Japanese 脱走兵
  • 脱走兵 (dassōhei)person who leaves a military or naval unit
Korean 탈영병, 탈주병
  • 탈영병 (taryeongbyeong)person who leaves a military or naval unit
  • 탈주병 (taljubyeong)person who leaves a military or naval unit
  • 탈주자 (taljuja)person who leaves a military or naval unit
  • 탈영자 (taryeongja)person who leaves a military or naval unit
  • 변절자 (byeonjeolja)person who leaves a military or naval unit
Latin dēsertor
  • dēsertorperson who leaves a military or naval unit
Latvian dezertieris
  • dezertierisperson who leaves a military or naval unit
Lithuanian dezertyras
  • dezertyrasperson who leaves a military or naval unit
Malay pembolos
  • pembolosperson who leaves a military or naval unit
Norwegian Bokmål desertør
  • desertørperson who leaves a military or naval unit
Persian فراری
  • فراری (farâri)person who leaves a military or naval unit
Polish dezerter, dezerterka
  • dezerterperson who leaves a military or naval unit
  • dezerterkaperson who leaves a military or naval unit
Portuguese desertor
  • desertorperson who leaves a military or naval unit
Romanian dezertor
  • dezertorperson who leaves a military or naval unit
Russian дезерти́р
  • дезерти́р (dezertír)person who leaves a military or naval unit
Slovak dezertér, dezertérka
  • dezertérperson who leaves a military or naval unit
  • dezertérkaperson who leaves a military or naval unit
  • zbehperson who leaves a military or naval unit
Spanish desertor, golondrino
  • desertorperson who leaves a military or naval unit
  • golondrinoperson who leaves a military or naval unit
Swedish desertör
  • desertörperson who leaves a military or naval unit
Thai ผู้ละทิ้ง
  • ผู้ละทิ้ง (pûu-lá-tíng)person who leaves a military or naval unit
Turkish asker kaçağı, firari
  • asker kaçağıperson who leaves a military or naval unit
  • firariperson who leaves a military or naval unit
Ukrainian дезерти́р
  • дезерти́р (dezertýr)person who leaves a military or naval unit
Vietnamese kẻ đào ngũ
  • kẻ đào ngũperson who leaves a military or naval unit
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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