A person who is guilty of doing something wrong or committing a crime.
From Old French 'cul prit,' literally 'guilty proved.' It was a legal phrase used in court meaning the accused person was guilty, and it evolved into a noun for any guilty party.
In old English courtrooms, when 'culprit' was used, it meant a defendant had been literally proven guilty—so the word carries the weight of legal judgment built right into it, making it feel more serious than just 'wrongdoer.'
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