the.com/defector

Someone who discovers the grass is greener once they stop mowing their own side.

means A person who abandons their country, party, or cause and switches allegiance to a rival one.

from From Latin defector, 'one who deserts,' built on deficere — 'to fail' or 'to desert,' from de- ('away') plus facere ('to do/make'). The same facere root gives English a whole family of 'doing' words; here the doing is undoing — unmaking one's loyalty and walking off with it.

cold war icon
defined by spies switching sides, not soldiers
etymology
from latin deficere, to desert or fail
modern usage
now covers athletes, execs, even cult members
loyalty twist
one side's traitor is another's hero
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