Culprit
/ˈkʌlprɪt/
nounB2
Definition
A culprit is someone who has done something bad, like breaking a rule or law. This word is often used when talking about crimes or problems, meaning the person who caused them. It points to the one who is guilty or to blame.
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⚡ See It in Action
The person who did something wrong or illegal
- •The police caught the culprit who stole the car.
- •She was the culprit behind the broken vase.
- •Many people wanted to find the culprit of the fire.
The cause of a problem (sometimes used more generally)
- •The culprit for the delay was the broken machine.
- •Bad weather was the culprit of the canceled game.
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "culprit" like "bad person," but more specific—it means the one who caused a particular problem or crime.
- ✓Picture a detective pointing at the person who broke a window—this person is the culprit.
- ✓It's the feeling when you find out who made a mistake that caused trouble.
- ✓Sounds like "CULL-prit" → imagine someone "culling" (choosing) the cause of a problem, the one who made the trouble.
- ✓Think of mystery stories where the culprit is the person who did the crime.
- ✓NOT like "victim" (someone who suffers), culprit is the one who causes harm.
- ✓NOT like "witness" (someone who sees), culprit is the one who acts wrongly.
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Offender: a person who breaks a law or rule (Use when talking about someone who commits a crime)
- •Perpetrator: a person who commits a harmful act (Use in formal or legal contexts)
- •Guilty party: the person responsible for a problem or crime (Use in general situations)
- •Cause: the reason something bad happens (Use when referring to a problem, not a person)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Word parts: (no clear prefix or suffix) root word "culprit"
- •Etymology: From Old French "culprit," from Latin "culpabilis" meaning "guilty"
- •Historical development: Originally used in law to mean a person guilty of a crime; now also used more generally for any cause of a problem
- •Modern usage: Commonly used in police, legal, and everyday language to identify the person responsible for a bad action or problem
💭 Reflect & Connect
•How does knowing who the culprit is help solve problems or crimes?
•Can the word culprit be used for things other than people? When might that happen?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.The police arrested the culprit who ___ the robbery last night.
2.When the vase broke, everyone wanted to know who the culprit ___.
3.Bad weather was the culprit ___ the outdoor event being canceled.
4.Unlike a victim, the culprit is the person who ___ the harm or damage.
5.The detective found the culprit ___ the crime scene very carefully.
6.Sometimes, the culprit is not a person but a ___ that causes the problem.
7.The teacher asked the class who the culprit ___ the missing homework was.