renay

R1E1N1A1Y4
/ɹɪˈneɪ/

verb

To renounce (one’s faith or god), to apostasize from.

RareScrabble 8

Meanings

verbrenay (third-person singular simple present renays, present participle renaying, simple past and past participle renayed)

present singular third person renays · participle present renaying · participle past renayed · past renayed · alternative reney · alternative reny

  1. obsoletetransitiveTo renounce (one’s faith or god), to apostasize from.
    1 more example

    […] Mammolukes and Geniſaries about yͤ Turk and Sowdã [Sowdan, i.e., Sudan], haue vſed to chriſten their children of purpoſe, that by the renayĩg [renaying] of their fayth, after, they might be made Mammolukes or Geniſaries, as theyr fathers were, and may be had the more in eſtimacion & fauour about the greate Turke, […]

    1528, Thomas More, “A Dialogue Concernynge Heresyes & Matters of Religion […]. Chapter 15. That Princes be Boundẽ [Bounden] to Punish Heretykes, and that Fayre Handelyng Helpeth Litle with Many of Them.”, in Wyllyam Rastell [i.e., William Rastell], editor, The Workes of Sir Thomas More Knyght, […], London: […] Iohn Cawod, Iohn Waly, and Richarde Tottell, published 30 April 1557, →OCLC, book IV, page 279, column 2
  2. obsoletetransitiveTo take back, to recant (something one says or believes).
  3. obsoletetransitiveTo reject, to deny the truth of (a statement).

Origin

  1. Latinre-“re-”
  2. Frenchrenier
  3. Old Frenchreneier
  4. Middle Englishreneye
  5. Englishrenay

From Middle English reneye, from Old French reneier, French renier, renier, from Latin re- (“re-”) + negare (“to deny”). See renegade. Doublet of renege and related to deny.

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Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with renay

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Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

renay. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/renay

MLA

“renay.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/renay. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “renay,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/renay.

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