culprit

noun

cul·​prit ˈkəl-prət 

-ˌprit

1

: one accused of or charged with a crime

The culprit pleaded "not guilty."

2

: one guilty of a crime or a fault

The culprit expressed remorse at his sentencing.

3

: the source or cause of a problem

Lack of exercise and poor diet are the main culprits in heart disease.

Did you know?

We would be culpable—that is, deserving of blame—if we didn’t clearly explain the origin of culprit. Yes, it is related to culpable, which itself comes (via Middle English and Anglo-French) from the Latin verb culpare, meaning “to blame.” But the etymology of culprit is not so straightforward. In Anglo-French, culpable meant “guilty,” and this was abbreviated “cul.” in legal briefs and texts. Culprit was formed by combining this abbreviation with the Anglo-French word prest or prit, meaning “ready”; literally, a culprit was one who was ready to be proven guilty. The word was eventually adopted into English and used to refer to someone who is accused of a wrongdoing. The word has since taken on an additional meaning: “the source or cause of a problem.”

Synonyms

• offender
• criminal

Examples of culprit in a Sentence

The police eventually located the culprits.

the police caught the culprit a mere two blocks from the scene of the crime

Recent Examples on the Web

To find out if typhus was the sole culprit for the demise of soldiers, the authors of the new study used a method known as high-throughput sequencing, which can sequence millions of DNA fragments at a time. —Taylor Nicioli, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2025

Though Locci's husband, Mele, was convicted of the murders in 1970, he was later released after the culprit struck again by killing teenage couple Pasquale Gentilcore and Stefania Pettini in September 1974. —Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 24 Oct. 2025

Local officials said the culprits broke into the Hôtel du Breuil-de-Saint-Germain, which houses the small museum, and forced their way into the building before making off with the historical coins. —Christopher Cann, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025

The illicit, years-long gambling scheme, per the Feds, involved the culprits trading non-public information only known in NBA circles to rake in millions of dollars. —Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Anglo-French cul. (abbreviation of culpable guilty) + prest, prit ready (i.e., to prove it), from Latin praestus — more at presto

First Known Use

1678, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

culprit

noun

cul·​prit ˈkəl-prət 

-ˌprit

1

: one accused of or charged with a crime or fault

2

: one guilty of a crime or fault