culpa

American

[kuhl-puh, kool-pah] / ˈkʌl pə, ˈkʊl pɑ /

noun

Roman and Civil Law. negligence; neglect (distinguished from dolus).

One is not always liable before law for culpa resulting in damages.
guilt; sin.

culpa British

/ ˈkʊlpɑː /

noun

civil law an act of neglect
a fault; sin; guilt

"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

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

culpae

plural

Etymology

Origin of culpa

1250–1300; Old English < Latin: fault, liability, blame

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Then she cried, "Ahem!" under cover of the MEA CULPA, striking her breast so vigorously that everybody, even the lady with the red cushion, turned round toward her.

From The Three Musketeers by Dumas père, Alexandre

Have routhe up-on my peyne, Al have I been rebel in myn entente; Now, MEA CULPA, lord!

From Troilus and Criseyde by Chaucer, Geoffrey

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023