criminal code

American  

noun

Law.

1. the aggregate of statutory enactments pertaining to criminal offenses.

2. a systematic and integrated statement of the rules and principles pertaining to criminal offenses.

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Etymology

Origin of criminal code

First recorded in 1780–90

Example Sentences

He was imprisoned amid tough security, under the so-called 41bis regime, an article of the Italian criminal code introduced after the two judges were killed.

From BBC • Mar. 3, 2026

The reforms are expected to address the economy, taxes, the criminal code, the electoral system, education, justice and defense, Milei said in his address, which was marked by verbal clashes with opposition lawmakers.

From Barron's • Mar. 2, 2026

By including the vague term “sensitive information,” the new policy potentially covers a wide range of government information; it goes far beyond the federal criminal code, which focuses on protecting classified information.

From Salon • May 12, 2025

It was supposed to be the city’s new criminal code, revised in a painstaking 16-year process for the first time in a century, then passed by the council.

From Slate • Nov. 5, 2024

In the wake of these incidents, Congress passed a series of New Deal reforms that gave the federal government its first comprehensive criminal code and the bureau a sweeping mission.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann