noun

1. a person guilty of a crime or offense; offender
2. Archaic a person accused of a crime, esp. by arraignment before a law court

Etymology: < Anglo-Fr cul. prit, contr. for phr. culpable, prit (a averer nostre bille), lit., guilty, ready (to prove our case): words used by prosecutor in opening case < culpable (see culpable) + prit, for OFr prest < LL praestus, ready