de·fec·tion

[dih-fek-shuhn]
noun
1.
desertion from allegiance, loyalty, duty, or the like; apostasy: His defection to East Germany was regarded as treasonable.
2.
failure; lack; loss: He was overcome by a sudden defection of courage.

Origin:
1535–45; < Latin dēfectiōn- (stem of dēfectiō), equivalent to dēfect(us) (see defect) + -iōn- -ion

non·de·fec·tion, noun
re·de·fec·tion, noun


1. loyalty.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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World English Dictionary
defection (dɪˈfɛkʃən) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n
1.  the act or an instance of defecting
2.  abandonment of duty, allegiance, principles, etc; backsliding
3.  defect another word for defect

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
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00:10
Defection is always a great word to know.
So is flibbertigibbet. Does it mean:
the offspring of a zebra and a donkey.
a chattering or flighty, light-headed person.
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

defection
1540s, "action of failing;" 1550s, "action of deserting a party, leader, etc." from L. defectionem "desertion, revolt, failure," noun of action from deficere (see deficient). Originally of faith.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
Defection could, indeed, signal a lack of professional fitness.
But it also led to a nearly complete defection of all the participants to the
  punishing group.
Nor has the firm been helped by the defection of some of its top talent to
  rival arbitrageurs.
Low-cost laptop program sees a key leadership defection.
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