culprit
|cul/prit|
B2
/ˈkʌl.prɪt/
responsible party
Etymology
Etymology Information
'culprit' originates from Anglo-French, specifically the phrase 'culpable: prest,' where 'culpable' meant 'guilty' and 'prest' meant 'ready.'
Historical Evolution
'culprit' changed from the Anglo-French legal phrase 'culpable: prest' and eventually became the modern English word 'culprit.'
Meaning Changes
Initially, it meant 'guilty and ready to be tried,' but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'a person or thing responsible for a crime or wrongdoing.'
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person or thing responsible for a crime or wrongdoing.
The police finally caught the culprit behind the series of robberies.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/01/11 11:45