(in 16th to 18th century England) a Roman Catholic who did not attend the services of the Church of England, as was required by law
2.
any person who refuses to submit to authority
adjective
3.
(formerly, of Catholics) refusing to attend services of the Church of England
4.
refusing to submit to authority
Derived forms
recusance (ˈrecusance) or recusancy (ˈrecusancy)
noun
Word origin
C16: from Latin recūsāns refusing, from recūsāre from re- + causārī to dispute, from causa a cause
recusant in American English
(ˈrɛkjʊzənt; rɪˈkjuzənt)
noun
1.
a person who refuses to obey an established authority; specif., in England in the 16th to 18th cent., a Roman Catholic who refused to attend the services of the Church of England orto recognize its authority
2.
any dissenter or nonconformist
adjective
3.
of or like a recusant
Derived forms
recusancy (ˈrecusancy)
noun
Word origin
L recusans, prp. of recusare, to reject < re-, against + causari, to dispute, pretend < causa, reason, cause