a disloyal person who betrays or deserts his cause or religion or political party or friend etc.
<noun.person> [ adj ]
having deserted a cause or principle
<adj.all> some provinces had proved recreant renegade supporters of the usurper
lacking even the rudiments of courage; abjectly fearful
<adj.all> the craven fellow turned and ran a craven proposal to raise the white flag this recreant knight
Recreant \Rec"re*ant\ (-ant), a. [OF., cowardly, fr. recroire, recreire, to forsake, leave, tire, discourage, regard as conquered, LL. recredere se to declare one's self conquered in combat; hence, those are called recrediti or recreanti who are considered infamous; L. pref. re- again, back + credere to believe, to be of opinion; hence, originally, to disavow one's opinion. See {Creed}.] 1. Crying for mercy, as a combatant in the trial by battle; yielding; cowardly; mean-spirited; craven. ``This recreant knight.'' --Spenser.
2. Apostate; false; unfaithful.
Who, for so many benefits received, Turned recreant to God, ingrate and false. --Milton.
Recreant \Rec"re*ant\, n. One who yields in combat, and begs for mercy; a mean-spirited, cowardly wretch. --Blackstone.