criminal
KRIHM-ih-nuhl
Criminal (adj) means involving or relating to crime, or against the law. Example: “The police opened a criminal investigation into the missing money.”
adj
1
Involving or relating to crime, or against the law.
"The police opened a criminal investigation into the missing money."
"Fraud is a criminal offence."
"She works in criminal law."
2
Shockingly wrong or wasteful (used loosely, not in a legal sense).
"It would be criminal to waste such a beautiful sunny afternoon indoors."
"Charging that much for a plain sandwich is criminal, if you ask me."
"It's criminal how much food gets thrown away every day."
noun
1
A person who has committed a crime.
"The film follows a clever criminal who plans one last theft."
"Courts decide how a criminal should be punished after the trial."
"The police finally caught the criminal responsible for the robberies."
How to use criminal
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishRelating to crime, or a person who commits crimes.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
criminal record
criminal charges
a convicted criminal
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Word forms
- Plural
- criminals
- Comparative
- more criminal
- Superlative
- most criminal
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The police opened a _____ investigation into the missing money.
Etymology
From Late Latin criminalis, from Latin crimen, "crime" or "accusation."
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for criminal
See all rhymes for criminal →Frequently asked questions
What does “criminal” mean?
The word “criminal” means involving or relating to crime, or against the law. In plain terms, relating to crime, or a person who commits crimes.
How do you pronounce “criminal”?
“Criminal” is pronounced KRIHM-ih-nuhl (/ˈkɹɪm.ɪ.nəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “criminal” in a sentence?
Here is “criminal” used in a sentence: “Fraud is a criminal offence.”
What part of speech is “criminal”?
Depending on how it is used, “criminal” can be an adjective and a noun.
Where does the word “criminal” come from?
The word “criminal” comes from Late Latin. From Late Latin criminalis, from Latin crimen, "crime" or "accusation.".
Is “criminal” a common word?
“Criminal” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “criminal” have?
“Criminal” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: involving or relating to crime, or against the law.
What is the difference between criminal and civil law?
Criminal law deals with acts that harm society and are prosecuted by the state, carrying penalties like fines or imprisonment. Civil law settles private disputes between individuals or organisations, usually over money or rights, where one party sues another. The key difference is that criminal cases punish wrongdoing, while civil cases resolve disagreements.
What is the difference between criminal and illegal?
The two overlap but differ in weight. Illegal simply means against the law, including minor breaches like parking violations. Criminal refers to serious offences that can be prosecuted and punished by the state, such as theft or assault. Something can be illegal without being criminal, but criminal acts are always illegal.
Is 'criminal' always a negative word?
Yes. As an adjective, criminal describes something connected to crime or forbidden by law, so it always carries a disapproving tone. It can also be used informally for emphasis, as in calling a waste of good food 'criminal', but even then it signals that something is badly wrong or unacceptable.
What is an example of 'criminal' used in a sentence?
You might say 'the company faced criminal charges' or 'damaging property is a criminal offence.' It commonly pairs with words like record, activity, negligence, or justice. In each case, criminal marks the behaviour as breaking the law, rather than merely being unwise, rude, or morally questionable.
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