criminology

noun

crim·​i·​nol·​o·​gy ˌkri-mə-ˈnä-lə-jē How to pronounce criminology (audio)
: the scientific study of crime as a social phenomenon, of criminals, and of penal treatment
criminological adjective
criminologically adverb
criminologist noun

Did you know?

Criminology includes the study of all aspects of crime and law enforcement—criminal psychology, the social setting of crime, prohibition and prevention, investigation and detection, capture and punishment. Thus, many of the people involved—legislators, social workers, probation officers, judges, etc.—could possibly be considered criminologists, though the word usually refers only to scholars and researchers.

Examples of criminology in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
After getting his bachelor’s in criminology in December 2024, Al-Arab began his master’s program the following spring. Tereza Shkurtaj, People.com, 24 May 2025 The pair donned matching blue caps and gowns and queued up in line behind fellow 2025 graduates, with the elder Al Arab ready to accept his Bachelor of Arts degree in criminology. Alana Wise, NPR, 22 May 2025 Al Arab, who graduated with a bachelor's degree in criminology, according to WGRZ, also posted the clip of the incident on TikTok and shared what went down behind the scenes. Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 21 May 2025 In this case, the FBI did the testing along with some investigation early on, and the results culminated into the tip that led Idaho investigators to a Ph.D student in criminology at nearby Washington State University named Kohberger. Jean Casarez, CNN Money, 9 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for criminology

Word History

Etymology

Latin crīmin-, crīmen "accusation, crime" + -o- + -logy

First Known Use

1872, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of criminology was in 1872

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Criminology.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/criminology. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

criminology

noun
crim·​i·​nol·​o·​gy ˌkrim-ə-ˈnäl-ə-jē How to pronounce criminology (audio)
: a scientific study of crime, of criminals, and of their punishment or correction
criminological adjective
criminologist noun

Medical Definition

criminology

noun
crim·​i·​nol·​o·​gy ˌkrim-ə-ˈnäl-ə-jē How to pronounce criminology (audio)
plural criminologies
: the scientific study of crime as a social phenomenon, of criminals, and of penal treatment
criminological adjective
criminologically adverb
criminologist noun

Legal Definition

criminology

noun
crim·​i·​nol·​o·​gy ˌkri-mə-ˈnä-lə-jē How to pronounce criminology (audio)
: the scientific study of crime as a social phenomenon, of criminals, and of penal treatment
criminological adjective
criminologically adverb
criminologist noun

More from Merriam-Webster on criminology

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!