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

• criminal
• crook
• lawbreaker
• malefactor
• miscreant
• offender

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

Weaker-than-expected oil demand is the main culprit in this dilemma. —Dan Eberhart, Forbes, 14 Sep. 2024

In Orange County, one of the primary culprits appears to be the Santa Ana River. —Pien Huang, NPR, 12 Sep. 2024

One of the main culprits in the pessimistic outlook, according to the dealer survey, is the uncertain political climate. —Jamie L. Lareau, Detroit Free Press, 12 Sep. 2024

By the end of the night, the manager had more pressing frustrations with his team’s porous fielding — the main culprit in what was their fourth loss in the last six games. —Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2024

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

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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