1. people who refuse to submit to an authority or comply with a regulation, especially those who refused to attend Church of England services in 16th and 17th century England
Usage: historical; often capitalized when referring specifically to English Catholics

Examples

• Catholic recusants faced heavy fines for refusing to attend Anglican services.
• The government kept detailed records of known recusants in each parish.
• Many recusants practiced their faith in secret to avoid persecution.
• Recusant families often lost their property due to repeated penalties.
• The term recusants originally applied to those who rejected the established church.
• Some recusants were imprisoned for their refusal to conform to religious laws.