criminology

American  

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

noun

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

---

criminology British  

/ ˌkrɪmɪnəˈlɒdʒɪkəl, ˌkrɪmɪˈnɒlədʒɪ /

noun

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

---

Other Word Forms

• criminologic
  adjective
• criminological
  adjective
• criminologically
  adverb
• criminologist
  noun

Etymology

Origin of criminology

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

Example Sentences

"The whole arrest tactic was disproportionate," says Dr Emma Cunningham, a criminology lecturer at the University of East London.

From BBC • Apr. 30, 2026

Montoya, a criminology major who also works at Starbucks, was the first to mention a potential suspect.

From Slate • Apr. 6, 2026

Cooling their heels in a Venetian jail in 1755, Giacomo Casanova and the prisoner in the cell above him contrived one of the more imaginative escapes in the annals of criminology.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 13, 2026

Jeff Asher, a leading expert in the field of criminology, said it’s hard to say whether the perception gap is closing “because we don’t necessarily track it super systematically.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 8, 2026

And I had already taught myself basic criminology.

From "Confessions of a Murder Suspect" by James Patterson