Tergiversate Definition

tər-jĭvər-sāt, tûrjĭ-vər-
tergiversated, tergiversates, tergiversating
verb
tergiversated, tergiversates, tergiversating
To desert a cause, party, etc.; become a renegade; apostatize.
Webster's New World
To use evasions or subterfuge; equivocate.
Webster's New World
To change sides; apostatize.
American Heritage

Origin of Tergiversate

  • From Latin tergiversor (“turn one's back, make excuses"); from tergum (“the back") + versō, frequentive of vertō (“turn").

    From Wiktionary

  • Latin tergiversārī tergiversāt- tergum the back versāre to turn wer-2 in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

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