noun
Uncommon
culprit
KUHLP-riht
Culprit (noun) means the person or thing responsible for a problem, crime, or wrongdoing. Example: “Police finally identified the culprit behind the break-ins.”
noun
1
The person or thing responsible for a problem, crime, or wrongdoing.
"I have tightened the loose bolt that was the culprit; it should work now."
"Railway police are making a full investigation into the matter, and the headmasters of schools have been approached, but it is difficult in such cases to discover the culprits, unless they are caught red-handed."
— , Wanton Damage in Trains (1960)
"But the Dutch dominated only to waste numerous efforts, with Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie the main culprits."
— Owen Phillips, Euro 2012: Netherlands 0-1 Denmark (2012)
"Police finally identified the culprit behind the break-ins."
"Too much sugar is often the real culprit behind afternoon energy crashes."
How to use culprit
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishWhoever or whatever is to blame for something going wrong.
Common pairings
identify the culprit
the real culprit
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Word forms
- Plural
- culprits
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Police finally identified the _____ behind the break-ins.
Etymology
From an Anglo-Norman legal phrase used when opening a trial, roughly "guilty: ready [to prove our case]" — later mistaken as a term addressing the accused directly.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “culprit” mean?
The word “culprit” means the person or thing responsible for a problem, crime, or wrongdoing. In plain terms, whoever or whatever is to blame for something going wrong.
How do you pronounce “culprit”?
“Culprit” is pronounced KUHLP-riht (/ˈkʌlpɹɪt/ in IPA).
How do you use “culprit” in a sentence?
Here is “culprit” used in a sentence: “Police finally identified the culprit behind the break-ins.”
What part of speech is “culprit”?
“Culprit” is a noun.
Where does the word “culprit” come from?
The word “culprit” comes from Anglo-Norman. From an Anglo-Norman legal phrase used when opening a trial, roughly "guilty: ready [to prove our case]" — later mistaken as a term addressing the accused directly.
Is “culprit” a common word?
“Culprit” is an uncommon word in modern English.
