betray
bih-TRAY
/bɪˈtreɪ/
To deliver to an enemy by treachery, or to be unfaithful to a trust, country, or friend.
Implies a deep breach of an existing relationship of trust, often causing emotional pain or strategic ruin.
The story behind the word. The word betray comes from the Middle English 'betraien', combining the English prefix 'be-' (thoroughly) with the Old French 'trair' (to hand over). This French root traces back to the Latin 'tradere', which literally meant 'to hand over' or 'deliver'. Over time, the act of handing someone over to their enemies evolved into our modern concept of breaking trust.
Word relationships
- double-cross: Double-cross is more informal and implies cheating a co-conspirator, whereas betray is broader and more emotional.
- defend: Defend implies actively protecting someone from harm, whereas betray involves actively delivering them to harm.
Commonly confused with
- portray: Portray means to represent or describe, while betray means to break trust.
Word family
- betrayal (noun): The act of betraying someone or something.
Collocations
- betray a trust
- betray a secret
- betray one's country
Idioms & expressions
- bite the hand that feeds you
- sell down the river
Example sentences
- "Et tu, Brute? Then fall, Caesar!—for even his closest friend had chosen to betray him." A classic literary quote from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar.
Memory hook
Think of 'be tray'. Imagine serving a friend's secrets on a silver tray to their worst enemy. Serving secrets on a tray.
When not to use
Do not use for simple mistakes or accidental disclosures unless there is an underlying breach of trust.
Fun facts
- The Latin root 'tradere' is also the source of the word 'tradition'—which is literally the 'handing over' of customs from one generation to the next.
Explore more words
treachery, perfidious, treacherous, traduce, treason, backbite
Also appears in
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