turpitude
noun
tur·pi·tude
ˈtər-pə-ˌtüd 
-ˌtyüd
: inherent baseness : depravity
moral turpitude
also
: a base act
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Turpitude comes from Latin turpis, meaning "vile" or "base." The word is often heard in the phrase "moral turpitude," an expression used in law to designate an act or behavior that gravely violates the sentiment or accepted standard of the community. A criminal offense that involves moral turpitude is considered wrong or evil by moral standards, in addition to being the violation of a statute.
Examples of turpitude in a Sentence
pictorial advertisements for chic clothing and fragrances in which drug addiction and other forms of moral turpitude are depicted as alternative fashion statements
Recent Examples on the Web
The Fed Chair and Fed Governors could be removed before the end of their term only for cause, which is generally taken to mean moral turpitude rather than differences in opinion with the administration over how the Fed meets its mission.
—
Raghuram Rajan, Time, 23 Jan. 2026
Some 500 years later — in between which came the turpitude and disruption of the transatlantic slave trade and colonialism — African countries are seeking to once again prioritize building trade between themselves, seeing it as essential to boosting their collective role in the global economy.
—Yinka Adegoke, semafor.com, 23 Jan. 2026
But in the mid-1800s sentiment around lotteries had begun to nosedive in the U.S. as concerns rose about their moral turpitude and by the end of the century, Congress outlawed the shipment of lottery tickets across state lines, ending most sales.
—Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2025
These alienating qualities don’t hold Prophecy or its characters back; the Sisters’ moral turpitude drives both the empire and the intrigue forward.
—Emma Stefansky, The Atlantic, 21 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for turpitude
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Raghuram Rajan, Time, 23 Jan. 2026
Some 500 years later — in between which came the turpitude and disruption of the transatlantic slave trade and colonialism — African countries are seeking to once again prioritize building trade between themselves, seeing it as essential to boosting their collective role in the global economy.
—Yinka Adegoke, semafor.com, 23 Jan. 2026
But in the mid-1800s sentiment around lotteries had begun to nosedive in the U.S. as concerns rose about their moral turpitude and by the end of the century, Congress outlawed the shipment of lottery tickets across state lines, ending most sales.
—Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2025
These alienating qualities don’t hold Prophecy or its characters back; the Sisters’ moral turpitude drives both the empire and the intrigue forward.
—Emma Stefansky, The Atlantic, 21 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for turpitude
Cite this Entry
“Turpitude.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/turpitude. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
turpitude
noun
tur·pi·tude
ˈtər-pə-ˌtüd, -ˌtyüd
: inherent baseness or depravity
also
: a base act
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