formalRRRELIGION when someone suddenly stops believing in a religion or supporting a political party 叛教;脱党;变节
Examples from the Corpus
apostasy• They include theft, adultery and fornication, wine drinking, highway banditry, apostasy to of the faith and rebellion.• His apostasy had cost him his empire.• His apostasy was repulsive to the Xerox people.
Originapostasy
(1300-1400)Late Latinapostasia, from Greek, from aphistasthai“to revolt”, from apo- ( → APOCALYPSE) + histasthai“to stand”