criminology

American

[krim-uh-nol-uh-jee] / ˌkrɪm əˈnɒl ə dʒi /

noun

the study of crime and criminals: a branch of sociology.

criminology British

/ ˌkrɪmɪˈnɒlədʒɪ /

noun

the scientific study of crime, criminal behaviour, law enforcement, etc See also penology

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of criminology

1855–60; < Latin crīmin- (stem of crīmen; see crime) + -o- + -logy

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

criminology

Clayton is a Los Angeles native who attended public schools, earned a bachelor’s degree in criminology and passed the bar in 2012.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026

Emmeline Taylor, professor of criminology at City St George's University in London, said shoplifting was also being driven by organised crime.

From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026

We know who Kohberger is, but he also invites hypotheticals—was he, as a doctoral student in criminology, trying to execute the perfect crime?

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026

I’m a professor of sociology and criminology who studies crime trends.

From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026

And I had already taught myself basic criminology.

From "Confessions of a Murder Suspect" by James Patterson

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023