trea·son /'trēz-ən/ n [Anglo-French treison crime of violence against a person to whom allegiance is owed, literally, betrayal, from Old French traïson, from traïr to betray, from Latin tradere to hand over, surrender]: the offense of attempting to overthrow the government of one's country or of assisting its enemies in war; specif: the act of levying war against the United States or adhering to or giving aid and comfort to its enemies by one who owes it allegiance
trea·son·ous /-əs/ adj
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam-Webster. 1996.