Characterized by betrayal or disloyalty; involving treachery against one's country, cause, or trust. Having the nature of treason or betrayal.
From Old French 'traitor' derived from Latin 'traditor' meaning 'one who hands over,' from 'tradere' (to hand over, betray). The suffix '-ous' indicates 'characterized by.' The concept originally applied to those who literally handed over cities or secrets to enemies.
The word 'traitorous' reveals how betrayal was originally conceived as a physical act of 'handing over' - traitors literally delivered people, places, or secrets to enemies. This physical metaphor persists in modern usage, where we still speak of 'selling out' or 'giving up' someone, maintaining the transactional imagery of treachery.
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