culpa
Americannoun
-
Roman and Civil Law. negligence; neglect (distinguished from dolus).
One is not always liable before law for culpa resulting in damages.
-
guilt; sin.
noun
-
civil law an act of neglect
-
a fault; sin; guilt
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.
There’s a lot more to say, but this time, it’s about Carlson’s too-little, too-late mea culpa.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026
Mr. Steyer has endorsed them, but it’s never too late for a mea culpa.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 10, 2025
Montier’s mea culpa came in 2022, when he reflected on why his argument had been so wrong.
From MarketWatch • Nov. 24, 2025
A senior Tory told me after the election defeat the party had to "go everywhere and do a mea culpa, to listen and take a kicking".
From BBC • Oct. 4, 2025
Not only did she have to deliver the biggest mea culpa in NASA's history, every second of it would be remembered forever.
From "The Martian" by Andy Weir
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.
