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Webster 1913 Edition

Criminal

Crim′i-nal

(kr?m′?-nal)
,
Adj.
[L.
criminalis
, fr.
crimen
: cf. F.
criminel
. See
Crime
.]
1.
Guilty of crime or sin.
The neglect of any of the relative duties renders us
criminal
in the sight of God.
Rogers.
2.
Involving a crime; of the nature of a crime; – said of an act or of conduct;
as,
criminal
carelessness
.
Foppish and fantastic ornaments are only indications of vice, not
criminal
in themselves.
Addison.
3.
Relating to crime; – opposed to civil;
as, the
criminal
code
.
The officers and servants of the crown, violating the personal liberty, or other right of the subject . . . were in some cases liable to
criminal
process.
Hallam.
Criminal action
(Law)
,
an action or suit instituted to secure conviction and punishment for a crime.
–
Criminal conversation
(Law)
,
unlawful intercourse with a married woman; adultery; – usually abbreviated, crim. con.
–
Criminal law
,
the law which relates to crimes.

Crim′i-nal

,
Noun.
One who has commited a crime; especially, one who is found guilty by verdict, confession, or proof; a malefactor; a felon.

Webster 1828 Edition

Criminal

CRIMINAL

,
Adj.
1.
Guilty of a crime; applied to persons.
2.
Partaking of a crime; involving a crime; that violates public law, divine or human; as, theft is a criminal act.
3.
That violates moral obligation; wicked.
4.
Relating to crimes; opposed to civil; as a criminal code; criminal law.

CRIMINAL

,
Noun.
A person who has committed an offense against public law; a violator of law, divine or human. More particularly, a person indicted or charged with a public offense, and one who is found guilty, by verdict, confession or proof.
Criminal conversation, the illegal commerce of the sexes; adultery.

Definition 2024

criminal

criminal

English

Adjective

criminal ‎(comparative more criminal, superlative most criminal)

  1. Being against the law; forbidden by law.
    • Addison
      Foppish and fantastic ornaments are only indications of vice, not criminal in themselves.
  2. Guilty of breaking the law.
    • Rogers
      The neglect of any of the relative duties renders us criminal in the sight of God.
  3. Of or relating to crime or penal law.
    • Hallam
      The officers and servants of the crown, violating the personal liberty, or other right of the subject […] were in some cases liable to criminal process.
    His long criminal record suggests that he is a dangerous man.
  4. (figuratively) Abhorrent or very undesirable, even if allowed by law.
    Printing such asinine opinions without rebuttal is criminal, even when not libel!

Usage notes

  • Nouns to which "criminal" is often applied: law, justice, court, procedure, prosecution, intent, case, record, act, action, behavior, code, offence, liability, investigation, conduct, defense, trial, history, responsibility, lawyer, tribunal, appeal, process, background, mind, conspiracy, evidence, gang, organization, underworld, jurisprudence, offender, jury, police, past, group, punishment, attorney, violence, report, career, psychology.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Noun

criminal ‎(plural criminals)

  1. A person who is guilty of a crime, notably breaking the law.
    • 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 3, in The China Governess:
      ‘[…] There's every Staffordshire crime-piece ever made in this cabinet, and that's unique. The Van Hoyer Museum in New York hasn't that very rare second version of Maria Marten's Red Barn over there, nor the little Frederick George Manning—he was the criminal Dickens saw hanged on the roof of the gaol in Horsemonger Lane, by the way—’

Synonyms

Translations

Old French

Adjective

criminal m ‎(oblique and nominative feminine singular criminale)

  1. criminal; illegal; against the law

Declension

Portuguese

Etymology

From Latin crīminālis ‎(“criminal”), from crīmen ‎(“verdict; crime”).

Pronunciation

  • (Portugal) IPA(key): /kɾi.mi.ˈnaɫ/
  • (Brazil) IPA(key): /kɾi.mi.ˈnaw/

Adjective

criminal m, f ‎(plural criminais, not comparable)

  1. (law) criminal (of or relating to crime or penal law)
    Antecedente criminal.‎
    Criminal record.

Related terms

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowing from Latin crīminālis ‎(“criminal”), from crīmen ‎(“verdict; crime”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [kri.miˈnal]

Adjective

criminal m, n ‎(feminine singular criminală, masculine plural criminali, feminine and neuter plural criminale)

  1. murderous

Declension

Noun

criminal m ‎(plural criminali, feminine equivalent criminală)

  1. murderer

Declension

Spanish

Adjective

criminal m, f ‎(plural criminales)

  1. criminal

Noun

criminal m, f ‎(plural criminales)

  1. A criminal

Related terms

Etymology

From Middle English, from Anglo-Norman criminal, from Late Latin criminalis, from Latin crimen ‎(“crime”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈkɹɪmənəl/

Similar Results