defector
UK: dɪˈfɛktə | US: dɪˈfɛktər
n. a person who deserts a party, cause, or allegiance, especially to join an opposing group.
The word "defector" originates from Latin defector (one who deserts), derived from deficere ("to desert" or "to fail"). The morpheme de- means "away," and fect- (from facere, "to make/do") implies action or commitment. The suffix -or denotes an agent, forming a noun meaning "one who abandons." Historically, it described political or military deserters, reflecting a literal "stepping away" from loyalty.
The high-ranking officer became a defector, seeking asylum abroad.
Soviet defectors often provided valuable intelligence during the Cold War.
She was labeled a defector after switching to the rival political party.
The novel’s protagonist is a defector from a dystopian regime.
Scientists who fled the country were treated as defectors by their former government.