backstabber

English

Alternative forms

• back stabber

Etymology

From back +‎ stabber.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbækˌstæbɚ/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Noun

backstabber (plural backstabbers)

1. (figurative) A person who covertly betrays or undermines someone with whom they have an actual or apparent relationship of trust, friendship, or loyalty, particularly through disparagement or attempts to discredit that person in their absence.

   Synonyms: double-crosser, snake in the grass; see also Thesaurus:betrayer

   Antonym: backstabbee

   Hyponym: smiling assassin

   • 1972, The O'Jays, “Back Stabbers”, in Back Stabbers:

     What they do? / They smile in your face / All the time, they want to take your place / The back stabbers (Back stabbers)

Related terms

• stab in the back

Translations

a traitor or hypocrite

• Bulgarian: скрита опасност f (skrita opasnost)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 负心人 (fùxīnrén)

• Dutch: matennaaier (nl) (literally “buddy fucker”), NSB'er m
• Finnish: liero (fi), selkäänpuukottaja, petturi (fi)
• French: hypocrite (fr), serpent (fr) m, faux jeton (fr) m, faux frère (fr) m
• German: Verräter (de)
• Greek: φίδι (el) n (fídi)
• Hindi: आस्तीन का सांप (āstīn kā sāmp)
• Icelandic: eiturnaðra f, rógberi m, slanga í paradís f
• Indonesian: munafik (id)
• Italian: ipocrita (it)
• Japanese: 裏切り者 (ja) (uragirimono)
• Polish: żmija (pl) f
• Russian: змея́ подколо́дная (ru) f (zmejá podkolódnaja)
• Spanish: traidor (es) m, mosca muerta f (colloquial), mosquita muerta (es) f (colloquial)