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 of culprit

• 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

Migrating birds may also be a culprit for spreading the virus, Clifton said. —Claire Murphy, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2026

One of the main culprits is the models’ propensity for sycophancy. —Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 18 June 2026

In the retrial, Judge Beverly Cannone ruled that the defense could not use Albert as part of its third-party culprit defense. —Matt Schooley, CBS News, 18 June 2026

Again, cardiovascular disease was the top culprit, but ALAN also triggers inflammation and is associated with higher rates of cancer, Parkinson’s, and cognitive impairment, including Alzheimer’s. —Literary Hub, 17 June 2026

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