criminology

[ krim-uh-nol-uh-jee ]

/ ˌkrɪm əˈnɒl ə dʒi /

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noun

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

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Origin of criminology

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

OTHER WORDS FROM criminology

crim·i·no·log·i·cal

[krim-uh-nl-oj-i-kuhl], /ˌkrɪm ə nlˈɒdʒ ɪ kəl/, crim·i·no·log·ic, adjectivecrim·i·no·log·i·cal·ly, adverbcrim·i·nol·o·gist, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use criminology in a sentence

Exempting private sales is a major problem from a criminological perspective.
The Senate’s Worthless Gun-Control Compromise|Adam Winkler|April 12, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Additional bibliography of psychological and criminological works likely to be generally helpful has been appended.
Criminal Psychology|Hans Gross
But kernels of criminological thought can be contained in a thin volume.
Criminal Types|V. M. Masten
The night the visitors came Richard Pell worked late among the great banks of criminological computers.
Brink of Madness|Walter J. Sheldon

They are so barren of originality that a criminological Linnæus could classify them with absolute nicety.
Max Carrados|Ernest Bramah
An individual criminological chart for the purpose of showing 271 biological and social characteristics of the prisoners.
Abstracts of Papers Read at the First International Eugenics Congress|Various

British Dictionary definitions for criminology

criminology

/ (ˌkrɪmɪˈnɒlədʒɪ) /

noun

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

Derived forms of criminology

criminological (ˌkrɪmɪnəˈlɒdʒɪkəl) or criminologic, adjectivecriminologically, adverbcriminologist, noun

Word Origin for criminology

C19: from Latin crimin- crime, -logy

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