Judas
/ˈdʒuːdəs/noun
A traitor or betrayer; also the name of one of Jesus’s twelve apostles who betrayed him.
Did you know?The betrayal of Judas Iscariot made his name so infamous that English later turned it into a common noun for a traitor, a rare case where a historical figure’s reputation reshaped everyday speech.
Etymological Timeline
Hebrew Bible
Hebrew
Yehudah
“Judah, the name of a son of Jacob and the tribe descended from him”
Septuagint / Greek New Testament
Greek
Ioudas
“Judas; the Greek form of the Hebrew name Judah”
Latin
Latin
Iudas
“Judas, especially Judas Iscariot in biblical tradition”
Old English
English
Iudas
“The biblical Judas, especially the betrayer of Christ”
Middle English
English
Judas
“A traitor, betrayer, or false friend”
Modern English
English
Judas
“A traitor or betrayer; also the biblical figure Judas Iscariot”