criminal

[krim-uh-nl]

See more synonyms for criminal on Thesaurus.com

adjective

of the nature of or involving crime.
guilty of crime.
Law. of or relating to crime or its punishment: a criminal proceeding.

senseless; foolish: It's criminal to waste so much good food.
exorbitant; grossly overpriced: They charge absolutely criminal prices.

noun

a person guilty or convicted of a crime.

Origin of criminal

1350–1400; Middle English < Anglo-French < Late Latin crīminālis, equivalent to Latin crīmin- (stem of crīmen; see crime) + -ālis -al¹

Related formscrim·i·nal·ly, adverbnon·crim·i·nal, adjective, nounnon·crim·i·nal·ly, adverbqua·si-crim·i·nal, adjectivequa·si-crim·i·nal·ly, adverbsub·crim·i·nal, adjectivesub·crim·i·nal·ly, adverbsu·per·crim·i·nal, adjective, nounsu·per·crim·i·nal·ly, adverbun·crim·i·nal, adjectiveun·crim·i·nal·ly, adverb

Synonyms

See more synonyms for criminal on Thesaurus.com

1. felonious, unlawful. See illegal. 6. malefactor, evildoer, transgressor, culprit, felon, crook, hoodlum, gangster.

Antonyms

1. lawful. 2. innocent.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for criminal

Contemporary Examples

The judges who handle arraignments at criminal court in all five boroughs have a small fraction of their usual caseloads.
Shot Down During the NYPD Slowdown
Michael Daly
January 7, 2015
But most likely it was linked to the way priests identify with the poor in the face of government and criminal abuses.
Mexico’s Priests Are Marked for Murder
Jason McGahan
January 7, 2015
Like any service for hire, it is extremely important for the traffickers to provide a reputable service, criminal as it is.
Ghost Ships of the Mediterranean
Barbie Latza Nadeau
January 6, 2015
Having a criminal record can reduce the likelihood of getting a callback or job offer by 50 percent.
His First Day Out Of Jail After 40 Years: Adjusting To Life Outside
Justin Rohrlich
January 3, 2015
“There is nothing whatsoever in the video which supports the charges—it shows no criminal activity,” Bakir said.
Sisi Is Persecuting, Prosecuting, and Publicly Shaming Egypt’s Gays
Bel Trew
December 30, 2014

Historical Examples

Wastefulness, profligacy, or favoritism in public expenditures is criminal.
United States Presidents' Inaugural Speeches
Various
If we concede to the criminal the right to a further chance we concede it to ourselves.
The Conquest of Fear
Basil King
She had been reared in a criminal family, which must excuse much.
Within the Law
Marvin Dana
It demanded that she be the criminal it had branded her—if she were to live at all.
Within the Law
Marvin Dana
Would it be so criminal when it all tends to what is honourable—marriage?
The Imaginary Invalid
Molire

British Dictionary definitions for criminal

criminal

noun

a person charged with and convicted of crime
a person who commits crimes for a living

adjective

of, involving, or guilty of crime
(prenominal) of or relating to crime or its punishmentcriminal court; criminal lawyer
informal senseless or deplorablea criminal waste of money

Derived Formscriminally, adverb

Word Origin

C15: from Late Latin crīminālis; see crime, -al 1

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

Word Origin and History for criminal

adj.

early 15c., from Middle French criminel (11c.), from Latin criminalis "pertaining to crime," from crimen (genitive criminis); see crime. Preserves the Latin -n-. Criminal law (or criminal justice) distinguished from civil in English at least since late 15c.

n.

1620s, from criminal (adj.).

criminal

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}criminal

Synonyms

Antonyms

Examples from the Web for criminal

Contemporary Examples

The judges who handle arraignments at criminal court in all five boroughs have a small fraction of their usual caseloads.

But most likely it was linked to the way priests identify with the poor in the face of government and criminal abuses.

Like any service for hire, it is extremely important for the traffickers to provide a reputable service, criminal as it is.

Having a criminal record can reduce the likelihood of getting a callback or job offer by 50 percent.

“There is nothing whatsoever in the video which supports the charges—it shows no criminal activity,” Bakir said.

Historical Examples

Wastefulness, profligacy, or favoritism in public expenditures is criminal.

If we concede to the criminal the right to a further chance we concede it to ourselves.

She had been reared in a criminal family, which must excuse much.

It demanded that she be the criminal it had branded her—if she were to live at all.

Would it be so criminal when it all tends to what is honourable—marriage?

criminal

Word Origin

Word Origin and History for criminal

adj.

n.

Origin of criminal