culprit

[ kuhl-prit ]

/ ˈkʌl prɪt /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR culprit ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a person or other agent guilty of or responsible for an offense or fault.

a person arraigned for an offense.

Nearby words

culpa, culpability, culpable, culpable homicide, culpeper, culprit, cult, cult of personality, cultch, cultellus, cultic

Origin of culprit

1670–80; traditionally explained as cul (representing Latin culpābilis guilty) + prit (representing Anglo-French prest ready), marking the prosecution as ready to prove the defendant's guilt. See culpable, presto

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for culprit

Plus there is another problem that the viruses pose—the problem that apparently is the culprit this year—they evolve.
When You Get the Flu This Winter, You Can Blame Anti-Vaxxers|Kent Sepkowitz|January 1, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The other culprit, of course, is the one misanthropic jerk who reported “several hundred” names to the Facebook robot.
Facebook Apologizes For, but Doesn’t Retract, Discriminatory ‘Real Name’ Policy|Jay Michaelson|October 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Personally, I support their efforts to find the culprit or the culprits.
Vilified Bitcoin Tycoon After Losing $500 Million: My Life Is at Risk|Nathalie-Kyoko Stucky|September 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
For me, it took the Sleeprate to show that daytime stress was the likely culprit of morning drowsiness.
How I Finally Got to the Bottom of My Insomnia|Gregory Ferenstein|June 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The culprit was a “highly protective” mother bear out foraging with her three cubs.
In Florida, Sprawling Humans Confront the Bears Who Lived There First|Jacqui Goddard|March 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Mr. Hunt was annoyed with and sorry for the culprit, yet he could not help smiling at this high-flown generosity of confidence.
Husks|Marion Harland
Mrs. Waterman renewed her attack, drawing nearer to the culprit.
Otherwise Phyllis|Meredith Nicholson
She looked out of the window, and pretended not to notice that the culprit had addressed his remark to her.
The Grey Lady|Henry Seton Merriman
I seldom have to punish any one, and when I do it hurts me more than the culprit.
Uncle Terry|Charles Clark Munn
It was a fine simulation of outraged discipline, and so life-like that when he spoke of a 232court martial, the culprit weakened.
The Missourian|Eugene P. (Eugene Percy) Lyle

British Dictionary definitions for culprit

culprit

/ (ˈkʌlprɪt) /

noun

law a person awaiting trial, esp one who has pleaded not guilty

the person responsible for a particular offence, misdeed, etc

Word Origin for culprit

C17: from Anglo-French cul-, short for culpable guilty + prit ready, indicating that the prosecution was ready to prove the guilt of the one charged

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