English Explanatory Dictionary

culprit

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The person or thing at fault for a problem or crime.
  2. A prisoner accused but not yet tried.

Pronunciation

/ˈkʌlpɹɪt/ en-us-culprit.ogg

Word forms

culprit culprits

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman cul. prit, contraction of culpable: prest (d'averrer nostre bille) 'guilty: ready (to prove our case)', words used by prosecutor in opening a trial, mistaken in English for an address to the defendant. See culpable. It may have been influenced by Latin culpa (“blame, fault”).

Related words

culpable culpate disculp disculpate exculpate inculpate mea culpa

Derived words

nonculprit
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