First Known Use: 1678
Dictionary
culprit
noun cul·prit \ˈkəl-prət, -ˌprit\
: a person who has committed a crime or done something wrong
Full Definition of CULPRIT
1
: one accused of or charged with a crime
2
: one guilty of a crime or a fault
3
: the source or cause of a problem
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Origin of CULPRIT
Anglo-French cul. (abbreviation of culpable guilty) + prest, prit ready (i.e., to prove it), from Latin praestus — more at presto
Related to CULPRIT
- Synonyms
- crook, criminal, felon, lawbreaker, malefactor, miscreant, offender
Other Legal Terms
Rhymes with CULPRIT
a bit, acquit, admit, armpit, backfit, base hit, befit, bowsprit, bushtit, catch it, cesspit, close-knit, cockpit, commit, cool it, cut it, demit, dimwit, dog it, do it, emit, firelit, fleapit, gaslit, get it, gill slit, godwit, hack it, half-wit, hard-hit, henbit, house-sit, legit, lit crit, make it, mess kit, misfit, mishit, moonlit, mosh pit, nitwit, no-hit, obit, omit, outfit, outwit, owe it, peewit, permit, pinch-hit, Prakrit, press kit, pulpit, refit, remit, rough it, sandpit, Sanskrit, scratch hit, snakebit, snake pit, starlit, stock split, submit, sunlit, switch-hit, tar pit, tidbit, tight-knit, tomtit, to wit, transmit, turnspit, twilit, two-bit, unfit, unknit, warp knit, watch it, weft knit, well-knit
CULPRIT Defined for Kids
culprit
noun cul·prit \ˈkəl-prət\
Definition of CULPRIT for Kids
: a person accused of, charged with, or guilty of a crime or fault
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Next Word in the Dictionary: culs–de–fourPrevious Word in the Dictionary: culpeoAll Words Near: culprit
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