a. Forms: 4 treterous, -tourous, 4–5 traytrous, 5–6 -torouse, 5–7 traitrous, 6 traytorous, -tourous(e, traterous, -turuse, traytorys, tretrous, 6–9 trayter-, traiterous, 6– traitorous. [app. ad. OF. traitreus, -eux (c. 1243 in Godef.), alteration of earlier traitos, -eus, trahiteus, conformed to traitre, TRAITOR. In Eng. having the appearance of being f. TRAITOR + -OUS.] Having the character of, or characteristic of, a traitor; treacherous; perfidious.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 5652. France had þo be delyured weel of a ful traytrous man.
c. 1477. Caxton, Jason, 10. They that … gyue them vnto these traytrous meuinges may in no manere haue rest daye ne nyght.
1535. Coverdale, Isa. lix. 12. Vsinge presumptuous & traytorous ymaginacions.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 338. Aduoyde ye false trayterous and vngracious people.
1581. Hamilton, in Cath. Tractates (S.T.S.), 84. Maist traturuse tratures aganis thair soueran the Queinis maiestie.
1683. Brit. Spec., 170. A traitorous Crew of villanous Phanaticks.
1716. Addison, Freeholder, No. 31, ¶ 10. More of His Friends have lost their Lives in this Rebellion, than of His traiterous Subjects.
1812. G. Chalmers, Dom. Econ. Gt. Brit., 429. A spirit of disaffection … followed … by popular disturbances, and traiterous insurrection, affected her quiet, and interrupted her industry.
1871. R. Ellis, Catullus, v. 12. So we shall not know, nor traitorous eye shall envy.
