Bloodguilty

/ˈblʌdɡɪlti/ adjective

Definition

Responsible for or guilty of causing someone's death or shedding blood; bearing moral liability for violence.

Etymology

Compound adjective of 'blood' (Old English blōd) + 'guilty' (from Old English gylt); formally denotes the state of having incurred blood liability.

Kelly Says

The phrase 'bloodguilty' implies that guilt isn't just a feeling—it's a state of being, almost like a contagion transmitted through violence, which is why so many cultures developed purification rituals to try to remove bloodguilt from people and places.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.