different between turncoat vs transfuge

English

Etymology

A compound of turn +? coat, reportedly derived from the sometime military practice of wearing uniform coats that were lined in material of a contrasting color, and which could be worn inside out to present a different appearance.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?t??n.k??t/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?t?n.ko?t/

Noun

turncoat (plural turncoats)

1. A traitor; one who turns against a previous affiliation or allegiance.

   Synonyms: apostate, defector, renegade

   • 1711, Jonathan Swift, An Excellent New Song

     But some will cry Turncoat, and rip up old stories, / How I always pretended to be for the tories:

Alternative forms

• turn-coat
• turn coat

Translations

English

Etymology

French transfuge

Noun

transfuge (plural transfuges)

1. (dated) A deserter.
2. (dated) A turncoat.

Translations

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin tr?nsfuga (“deserter”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /t???s.fy?/

Noun

transfuge m or f (plural transfuges)

1. deserter, defector, turncoat

   Synonym: déserteur

2. (figuratively) defector

Further reading

• “transfuge” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Latin

Verb

tr?nsfuge

1. second-person singular present active imperative of tr?nsfugi?