First Known Use: 15th century
Dictionary
1criminal
adjective crim·i·nal \ˈkri-mə-nəl, ˈkrim-nəl\
: involving illegal activity : relating to crime
: relating to laws that describe crimes rather than to laws about a person's rights
: morally wrong
Full Definition of CRIMINAL
1
: relating to, involving, or being a crime <criminal neglect>
2
: relating to crime or to the prosecution of suspects in a crime <criminal statistics> <brought criminal action>
3
: guilty of crime; also : of or befitting a criminal <a criminal mind>
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Origin of CRIMINAL
Middle English, from Anglo-French or Late Latin; Anglo-French criminal, from Late Latin criminalis, from Latin crimin-, crimen crime
Related to CRIMINAL
- Antonyms
- lawful, legal, legitimate
Other Legal Terms
2criminal
noun
: a person who has committed a crime or who has been proved to be guilty of a crime by a court
Full Definition of CRIMINAL
1
: one who has committed a crime
2
: a person who has been convicted of a crime
See criminal defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of CRIMINAL
circa 1626
Related to CRIMINAL
- Synonyms
- crook, culprit, felon, lawbreaker, malefactor, miscreant, offender
Other Legal Terms
CRIMINAL Defined for Kids
1criminal
adjective crim·i·nal \ˈkri-mə-nəl\
Definition of CRIMINAL for Kids
1
: being or guilty of an act that is unlawful, foolish, or wrong
2
: relating to unlawful acts or their punishment <criminal law>
— crim·i·nal·ly \-nəl-ē\ adverb
2criminal
noun
Definition of CRIMINAL for Kids
: a person who has committed an unlawful act
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