Betrayals

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The act of revealing secrets or disloyalty, typically undermining trust in a relationship or agreement
2. Instances where a person or group fails to uphold loyalty, resulting in harm to another
3. Acts of treachery that involve breaking trust or loyalty, often causing damage to relationships or agreements

Etymology: "Betrayals" is the plural of "betrayal," a noun meaning acts of disloyalty. The noun is built from the verb "betray" with the suffix "-al," which is a Middle English ending taken from Old French "-el" and ultimately from Latin "-ālis," meaning "pertaining to." Something like "betrayal" is therefore a noun formed on the act of betraying, much as "refusal" is formed on "refuse." The verb "betray" itself traces back much further. It descends from Latin roots that combined the idea of handing something over with a sense of deceit, and it entered English through Old French, which is why its ancestry runs through the Romance languages rather than through Old English. The plural simply adds "-s" to the noun, so each act of betrayal is counted separately.

Synonyms: treacheries, disloyalties, treasons, double-crosses, deceits

Antonyms: loyalties, fidelity, trust, honesty, faithfulness