criminal

The definition of criminal is someone or something related to the commission of a crime.

(adjective)

An example of criminal is an activity where money is stolen.

A criminal is defined as a person who has done something illegal.

(noun)

An example of a criminal is a bank robber.

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See criminal in Webster's New World College Dictionary

adjective

  1. having the nature of crime; being a crime
    1. involving or relating to crime
    2. dealing with law cases involving crime
  2. guilty of crime
  3. Informal regrettable or deplorable

Origin: ME < OFr criminel < L criminalis < crimen: see crime

noun

a person guilty of, or legally convicted of, a crime

Related Forms:

See criminal in American Heritage Dictionary 4

adjective
  1. Of, involving, or having the nature of crime: criminal abuse.
  2. Relating to the administration of penal law.
  3. a. Guilty of crime.
    b. Characteristic of a criminal.
  4. Shameful; disgraceful: a criminal waste of talent.
noun
One that has committed or been legally convicted of a crime.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English

Origin: , from Old French criminel

Origin: , from Late Latin crīminālis

Origin: , from Latin crīmen, crīmin-, accusation; see crime

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Related Forms:

  • crimˈi·nal·ly adverb

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