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Added 9 October 2026

culprit

/ˈkʌlpɹɪt/ noun

In Latin: reus, nocens, noxius Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about culprit at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

The person or thing at fault for a problem or crime.
I have tightened the loose bolt that was the culprit; it should work now.
A prisoner accused but not yet tried.

Origin

From Anglo-Norman cul. prit, contraction of culpable: prest (d'averrer nostre bille) 'guilty: ready (to prove our case)', words used by prosecutor in opening a trial, mistaken in English for an address to the defendant. See culpable. It may have been influenced by Latin culpa (“blame, fault”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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