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View synonyms for

culprit

[kuhl-prit]

noun

  1. a person or other agent guilty of or responsible for an offense or fault.

  2. a person arraigned for an offense.



culprit

/ ˈʌɪ /

noun

  1. law a person awaiting trial, esp one who has pleaded not guilty

  2. the person responsible for a particular offence, misdeed, etc

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of culprit1

1670–80; traditionally explained as cul (representing Latin ܱ guilty) + prit (representing Anglo-French prest ready), marking the prosecution as ready to prove the defendant's guilt. See culpable, presto
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Word History and Origins

Origin of culprit1

C17: from Anglo-French cul-, short for culpable guilty + prit ready, indicating that the prosecution was ready to prove the guilt of the one charged
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

You're not alone - around one in five people are allergic to pollen and the culprit is usually grass, although trees can also trigger symptoms.

From

Slicker was not the only culprit as Lewis Ferguson deflected the ball past him after the Scotland defence made a mess of clearing a corner to hand Iceland a 2-1 lead after John Souttar's equaliser.

From

Between January and March of this year, 26 instances of livestock depredation were being investigated with wolves confirmed as the culprit in 16 of them, according to state data.

From

In early spring the main culprit is tree pollen which the Met Office says affects around 25% of sufferers annually.

From

One by one, each would-be monarch loses her head, until the culprit is caught and exposed, “Scooby-Doo” style.

From

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Culpepercult