renegade

Where does the word "renegade" come from? It comes from Spanish renegado, and was adopted directly into English (1580s).

Renegade’s story begins in Spanish: renegado meant “one who has renounced their faith.” One who has renounced their faith or allegiance, from renegar (to deny). It reached English by 1580s as renegade. Settled as the word for someone who deserts a cause or group. Today, renegade means a person who abandons their group or cause for another, often seen as rebellious.

1. Stage 1 · Spanish · medieval renegado "one who has renounced their faith", one who has renounced their faith or allegiance, from renegar (to deny).
2. Stage 2 · English · 1580s renegade "a person who deserts a cause or group", settled as the word for someone who deserts a cause or group.