noun

mea culpa

may-uh KUUL-puh

Mea culpa (noun) means an open admission that you were at fault, especially one made publicly. Example: “The chief executive's letter to shareholders was a lengthy mea culpa.”

noun

An open admission that you were at fault, especially one made publicly.

"The chief executive's letter to shareholders was a lengthy mea culpa."

"After the figures were corrected, the paper published a full mea culpa."

interjection

Said to accept blame for something, often lightly.

"Mea culpa, I booked the room for the wrong day."

How to Use Mea culpa

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishAdmitting openly that something was your fault.

When to use it

Formal or literary, and common in journalism and politics. Used ironically in casual speech for small mistakes.

Memory tip

An apologia is a defence of your position, not an admission of guilt, so it is close to the opposite of a mea culpa.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

apologia apology →

Common pairings

issue a mea culpa public mea culpa full mea culpa

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The chief executive's letter to shareholders was a lengthy _____.

Etymology

From Latin mea culpa 'through my own fault', from the Confiteor prayer of the Roman rite.

Origin: Latin

Synonyms

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apology admission of guilt confession acknowledgement of fault my fault my mistake my bad

Related Words

excuse admission apology confession disclosure oops my bad MB

Rhymes for mea culpa

culpa

See all rhymes for mea culpa →

Frequently Asked Questions

What does mea culpa literally mean?

It is Latin for "through my fault" and comes from the Confiteor, a prayer of confession in the Latin Mass in which the speaker admits wrongdoing.

What is the difference between a mea culpa and an apology?

An apology expresses regret to someone; a mea culpa specifically accepts the blame. A statement can apologise for an outcome without ever admitting fault, which is why a genuine mea culpa carries more weight.

What is the plural of mea culpa?

In English it is mea culpas. The Latin plural is not used.

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