culprit

noun

cul·​prit ˈkəl-prət How to pronounce culprit (audio)
-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.”

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 Absinthe gained a reputation as having dangerous hallucinogenic and psychoactive properties, although that has since been disproven (the likely culprit was just drinking way too much). Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 8 Mar. 2024 Supermassive black holes or the violent interactions of stars can be the culprits that eject gas from galaxies, bringing star formation to a quick halt. Ashley Strickland, CNN, 6 Mar. 2024 The culprit is tall drink of water Mickey Steele (Devon Crittenden), recognizable to us as the clown from earlier. EW.com, 4 Mar. 2024 The couple was later told the culprit was a solution used to facilitate embryonic growth, which manufacturers voluntarily recalled in December – after the Waldens lost their embryos. Adrianna Rodriguez, USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2024 Tree pollen is the first culprit to start causing symptoms, followed by grass pollination later in the spring and summer and ragweed in the late summer and fall. Joe Mutascio, The Indianapolis Star, 27 Feb. 2024 When cultural genocide is the culprit for such erosion — the Mohegan language was washed away in waves of imperialist violence and assimilation — the tragedy is unimaginable. Thomas Floyd, Washington Post, 23 Feb. 2024 The primary culprit behind Wisconsin's unseasonably warm winter is a weather phenomenon known as El Niño. David Clarey, Journal Sentinel, 4 Mar. 2024 The same culprit is almost always responsible for bailing on the market: fear and uncertainty. Wes Moss, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'culprit.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of culprit was in 1678

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Dictionary Entries Near culprit

Cite this Entry

“Culprit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/culprit. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

culprit

noun
cul·​prit ˈkəl-prət How to pronounce culprit (audio)
-ˌprit
1
: one accused of or charged with a crime or fault
2
: one guilty of a crime or fault

More from Merriam-Webster on culprit

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