perpetrator

American  

[pur-pi-trey-ter] / ˈpɜr pɪˌtreɪ tər /

noun

perpetrators plural

1. a person who perpetrates, or commits, an illegal, criminal, or evil act.

   The perpetrators of this heinous crime must be found and punished to the fullest extent of the law.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• perpetrators
  plural

Etymology

Origin of perpetrator

First recorded in 1560–70; from Late Latin, from Latin perpetrāt(us), past participle of perpetrāre “to carry out, execute, perform” + -or -or ¹ ( def. ); see perpetrate ( def. )

Explanation

A perpetrator is someone who has committed a crime — or at least done something pretty bad. You've probably seen cops on TV trying to get a description of the perpetrator of a bank heist. The word perpetrator is so often associated with crime that police officers and other criminal justice types sometimes abbreviate it “perp.” A perpetrator is often a suspect until it has been proven that he or she carried out the offense. The word usually describes someone who's committed a crime, but any wrongdoing will do. If someone took Uncle Bob's cake and a trail of crumbs leads to your bedroom, your mom will know who the likely perpetrator is.

Example Sentences

He said Complainant A and her husband talked about an unnamed "perpetrator" and that several further meetings were held.

From BBC • Jun. 4, 2026

"The situation is now under control, and the perpetrator will be taken to court today," Chattogram Metropolitan Police spokesman Aminur Rashid told AFP.

From Barron's • May 22, 2026

Authorities were investigating the incident but did not elaborate on the perpetrator.

From Los Angeles Times • May 4, 2026

Beverley, Elsie and Margot vow to find the perpetrator themselves.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

“Yes, miss. I was assuring your friend that once we catch the perpetrator, we will be throwing the book at him.”

From "Love, Hate & Other Filters" by Samira Ahmed

Related Words

• crook
• culprit
• miscreant
• trespasser
• violator