Judas

noun

Ju·​das ˈjü-dəs 

1

a

: the apostle who in the Gospel accounts betrayed Jesus

b

: a son of James and one of the twelve apostles

2

: traitor

especially : one who betrays under the guise of friendship

3

not capitalized : peephole

called also judas hole, judas window

Synonyms

• apostate
• backstabber
• betrayer
• double-crosser
• double-dealer
• quisling
• recreant
• serpent
• snake
• traitor
• turncoat

Examples of Judas in a Sentence

He was called a Judas by the press.

she heatedly called her best friend a Judas after she found out her secrets had been spread all over town

Recent Examples on the Web

Slayer and Pantera will perform Oct. 10; Slipknot and Five Finger Death Punch on Oct. 11; Iron Maiden and Judas Priest on Oct. 12; and Mötley Crüe and Disturbed on Oct. 13. —Michael McGough, Sacramento Bee, 5 Mar. 2025

However, some Christians have criticized the musical for de-emphasizing the divinity of Jesus and showing Judas as a sympathetic character. —Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2025

But would an Ariana Grande Judas be too much to pray for? —Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 18 Feb. 2025

Superstar finds Judas grappling and unimpressed with Jesus’ leadership involving his disciples, with a modern twist coming in the form of slang, culture, and more. —Marc Griffin, VIBE.com, 18 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin, from Greek Ioudas, from Hebrew Yĕhūdhāh

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing Judas

• Judas Iscariot
• Judas tree