perpetrator
Americannoun
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.
Vocabulary lists containing perpetrator
This Week in Words: January 26 - February 1, 2019
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And Then There Were None
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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.
"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
Police said late Monday said there was "no basis on current knowledge" to assume a political or religious motive on the part of the perpetrator.
From Barron's • May 4, 2026
Mayor Burkhard Jung said the suspected perpetrator was apprehended, adding that authorities were not yet clear on the motivation.
From BBC • May 4, 2026
Beverley, Elsie and Margot vow to find the perpetrator themselves.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026
At one morning meeting, Ted gravely informs us that there has just been “an incident” and that the perpetrator is no longer with us.
From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
