What is the correct single word for a person who deserts or renounces his religion?

Introduction / Context:
Single word substitution questions test your ability to match precise English vocabulary to longer descriptive phrases. In religious and philosophical discussions, there is a specific term for someone who abandons or renounces his religion. This question asks you to recall that exact word and distinguish it from more general terms for traitors or irreligious people.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The phrase is one who deserts or renounces his religion.
• The focus is on leaving one's religion, not simply being irreverent or changing political sides.
• The options include general words for irreverence and betrayal as well as a technical term.
• We assume standard dictionary meanings for each option.

Concept / Approach:
An apostate is someone who renounces a religious faith or belief system that they previously followed. The word is often used in religious, historical, and philosophical contexts. Profane generally means irreverent toward sacred things or secular rather than religious, but it does not specifically mean a person who has abandoned his religion. A turncoat is someone who switches allegiance, usually in politics, war, or groups, but the term is not limited to religion. Deserter describes someone who abandons duty or post, especially in the military, and again is not specific to religious belief. Therefore, apostate is the precise and correct term for someone who deserts or renounces his religion.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the key idea in the phrase: leaving or giving up one's religion. Step 2: Recall the vocabulary word apostate, which is defined as a person who renounces a religious or political belief or principle, especially religion. Step 3: Compare this with profane person, which describes someone irreverent toward sacred things but not necessarily someone who once belonged to a religion and left it. Step 4: Recognise that turncoat refers more broadly to a traitor or someone who changes sides, typically in politics or war, not specifically religious context. Step 5: Note that deserter is a general term, particularly for soldiers who leave their post, and is not limited to religious belief.

Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, examine how each word is commonly used. News reports might refer to an army deserter or a political turncoat, but not usually to someone changing religion. Religious texts or historical accounts might speak of apostates who left the faith under pressure or by choice. The word profane appears in phrases like profane language or profane behaviour, focusing on disrespect rather than the act of leaving a religion. This usage pattern shows that apostate fits the description in the question most accurately.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Profane person: This is wrong because it describes someone who shows a lack of respect for religious things or who is secular, but it does not specifically mean someone who has abandoned a religion they once followed.
Turncoat: This is wrong because a turncoat is a traitor who switches sides, often in political or military contexts. While a religious apostate might also be called a turncoat informally, the term is too broad and not specific to religion.
Deserter: This is wrong because a deserter usually refers to someone who leaves their duty or post, especially in the armed forces. The word does not inherently refer to religious belief.

Common Pitfalls:
Some students choose turncoat or deserter because they focus only on the idea of leaving something. However, exam questions on single word substitutions usually expect the most precise term that matches the entire phrase, including the religious context. Others may confuse apostate with apostle, which actually means a messenger or follower, almost the opposite. Remembering that apostate contains the same root as apostasy, meaning abandonment of belief, will help you avoid these errors.

Final Answer:
The correct single word for one who deserts or renounces his religion is Apostate.