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quisling

noun, often attributive
quis·​ling | \ ˈkwiz-liÅ‹ How to pronounce quisling (audio) \

Definition of quisling

: traitor sense 2, collaborator
Other Words from quisling Synonyms Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about quisling

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Other Words from quisling

quislingism \ ˈkwiz-​liÅ‹-​ËŒi-​zÉ™m How to pronounce quislingism (audio) \ noun

Did You Know?

Vidkun Quisling was a Norwegian army officer who in 1933 founded Norway's fascist party. In December 1939, he met with Adolf Hitler and urged him to occupy Norway. Following the German invasion of April 1940, Quisling served as a figurehead in the puppet government set up by the German occupation forces, and his linguistic fate was sealed. Before the end of 1940, "quisling" was being used generically in English to refer to any traitor. Winston Churchill, George Orwell, and H. G. Wells used it in their wartime writings. Quisling lived to see his name thus immortalized, but not much longer. He was executed for treason soon after the liberation of Norway in 1945.

Examples of quisling in a Sentence

warned that all quislings would be punished without mercy

Recent Examples on the Web

 This may sound like a technical squabble among quislings. — David Z. Morris, Slate Magazine, "Bitcoin’s King Solomon Moment," 6 June 2017 The Republican rank and file, or at least the more aware ones—that’s excluding quislings like Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan—are already eyeing the exits. — vanityfair.com, "Graydon Carter on Trump’s Constitutional Crisis, Ruskiegate, and the Worst First 100 Days in Presidential History," 18 May 2017 The Republican rank and file, or at least the more aware ones—that’s excluding quislings like Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan—are already eyeing the exits. — Graydon Carter, The Hive, "Graydon Carter on Trump’s Constitutional Crisis, Ruskiegate, and the Worst First 100 Days in Presidential History," 18 May 2017 The Republican rank and file, or at least the more aware ones—that’s excluding quislings like Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan—are already eyeing the exits. — vanityfair.com, "Graydon Carter on Trump’s Constitutional Crisis, Ruskiegate, and the Worst First 100 Days in Presidential History," 18 May 2017 The Republican rank and file, or at least the more aware ones—that’s excluding quislings like Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan—are already eyeing the exits. — Graydon Carter, The Hive, "Graydon Carter on Trump’s Constitutional Crisis, Ruskiegate, and the Worst First 100 Days in Presidential History," 18 May 2017 The Republican rank and file, or at least the more aware ones—that’s excluding quislings like Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan—are already eyeing the exits. — vanityfair.com, "Graydon Carter on Trump’s Constitutional Crisis, Ruskiegate, and the Worst First 100 Days in Presidential History," 18 May 2017 The Republican rank and file, or at least the more aware ones—that’s excluding quislings like Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan—are already eyeing the exits. — vanityfair.com, "Graydon Carter on Trump’s Constitutional Crisis, Ruskiegate, and the Worst First 100 Days in Presidential History," 18 May 2017 The Republican rank and file, or at least the more aware ones—that’s excluding quislings like Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan—are already eyeing the exits. — Vanityfair.com, VanityFair.com, "Graydon Carter on Trump’s Constitutional Crisis, Ruskiegate, and the Worst First 100 Days in Presidential History," 18 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'quisling.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of quisling

1940, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for quisling

Vidkun Quisling †1945 Norwegian politician who collaborated with the Nazis

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More Definitions for quisling

quisling

noun
How to pronounce quisling (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of quisling

old-fashioned : a person who helps an enemy that has taken control of his or her country

See the full definition for quisling in the English Language Learners Dictionary

More from Merriam-Webster on quisling

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with quisling

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for quisling

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