mea culpa
my fault! (used as an acknowledgment of one's responsibility).
an acknowledgment of one's responsibility for a fault or error.
Origin of mea culpa
1Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use mea culpa in a sentence
In Washington, where politicians have mastered the art of the mea culpa, those words would not normally warrant much attention.
Like Gates, I also lost my policy objectivity—mea culpa—but for all the right reasons, as I believed then and still do.
Now I think Obama was right to do that mea culpa bit last week.
It’s Time for Obama to Go on Offense on Health Care | Michael Tomasky | November 19, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTAt the end, the two embraced and Eminem flicked off the crowd, a middle-finger mea culpa.
Eminem’s Homophobic ‘Rap God’ Lyrics Are Getting a Free Pass | Kevin Fallon | October 18, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTThe right thing to do would be a formal mea culpa from the author.
The Bigoted Attacks on Palestinian NFL Player Oday Aboushi | Yousef Munayyer | July 11, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
I know too well how little I profited by all his warnings, and I cry, mea culpa.
For this, I can only beat my breast violently and mutter mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.
Dead Giveaway | Gordon Randall GarrettIf he had been differently brought up, he might have beaten his breast and cried, "mea culpa!"
Pippin; A Wandering Flame | Laura E. RichardsHe closeth his eyes and saith his mea culpa and setteth all his hopes in God.
Tales from the Old French | VariousT is my ungoverned spirit hath wrought all this mischief,—mea culpa!
British Dictionary definitions for mea culpa
/ Latin (ˈmeɪɑː ˈkʊlpɑː) /
an acknowledgment of guilt
Origin of mea culpa
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Cultural definitions for mea culpa
[ (may-uh kul-puh, kool-puh) ]
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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