Wordwyrt

culprit

/ˈkʌlpɹɪt/KUHL-prit
/ˈkʌlpɹɪt/KUHL-prit

Meaningthe one at fault

Common meaning: the one to blame

Journey through time

  1. Latinculpa, -ae‘blame, a fault’
  2. Englishculprit‘the one to blame’ · today

culp also in: culpableexculpate

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Latin culpa ‘blame, a fault’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Lewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), entry culpa, p. 488 · dictionary scan

Roots

Related words

culpableexculpate

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