c.1300 (adj.) "confessing oneself to be overcome or vanquished," from O.Fr.
recreant "yielding, giving," prp. of
recroire "to yield in a trial by combat, surrender allegiance," perhaps on notion of "take back one's pledge, yield one's cause," from
re- "again, back" +
croire "entrust, believe," from L.
credere."Non sufficit ... nisi dicat illud verbum odiosum, quod recreantus sit." [Bracton, c.1260]
Meaning "unfaithful to duty" is from 1643. Noun sense of "one who yields in combat, coward, faint-hearted person" is first recorded c.1400.
[rek-ree-uh
nt] 