culprit

[ kuhl-prit ]
/ ˈkʌl prɪt /

noun

a person or other agent guilty of or responsible for an offense or fault.
a person arraigned for an offense.

Origin of culprit

1670–80; traditionally explained as cul (representing Latin culpābilis guilty) + prit (representing Anglo-French prest ready), marking the prosecution as ready to prove the defendant's guilt. See culpable, presto

Example sentences from the Web for culprit

British Dictionary definitions for culprit

culprit
/ (ˈkʌlprɪt) /

noun

law a person awaiting trial, esp one who has pleaded not guilty
the person responsible for a particular offence, misdeed, etc

Word Origin for culprit

C17: from Anglo-French cul-, short for culpable guilty + prit ready, indicating that the prosecution was ready to prove the guilt of the one charged