Added 9 October 2026
rebel
/ˈɹɛb.əl/ noun
In Latin: rebellis Wiktionary
noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about rebel at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- `Johnny' was applied as a nickname for Confederate soldiers by the Federal soldiers in the American Civil War; `greyback' derived from their grey Confederate uniforms.
- A person who takes part in an armed rebellion against the constituted authority (especially in the hope of improving conditions).
- Someone who exhibits great independence in thought and action.
verb
- Take part in a rebellion; renounce a former allegiance.
- Break with established customs.
Origin
From Middle English rebel, rebell, from Old French rebelle, from Latin rebellis (“waging war again; insurgent”), from rebellō (“to wage war again, fight back”), from re- (“again, back”) + bellō (“to wage war”).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)