Judas

noun

Ju·​das ˈjü-dəs How to pronounce Judas (audio)
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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adam Lambert will join Cynthia Erivo in Jesus Christ Superstar this summer for three nights Aug 1-3 at the Hollywood Bowl, with Lambert playing Judas to Erivo’s Jesus. Greg Evans, Deadline, 5 May 2025 Of course, even without Judas getting his name in the title, that character is arguably the lead, if there is one, in the show, which put composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyricist Tim Rice on the musical theater map for good. Chris Willman, Variety, 5 May 2025 But in the shadows, Judas makes a deal that seals both their fates. James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 2 May 2025 Among those, Judas Priest lands the twenty-second loftiest debut of the week. Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for Judas

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of Judas was before the 12th century

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Cite this Entry

“Judas.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Judas. Accessed 19 May. 2025.

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