Words / B2

KULPR-it/ˈkʌlprɪt/

A culprit is a person or thing responsible for a problem or a crime: name the culprit; the main culprit. Offender is a legal twin; cause is broader for things. Name the culprit in the investigation, not a rumour. Mix-up: cult; sculpt. Do not write culprit for a victim.

Meaning

A person or thing responsible for a problem or a crime.

Examples

• “Name the culprit in the investigation, not a rumour on social media.”
• “Particulates were the main culprit in the air-quality case, which is the thing-to-blame sense.”

Good to know

the culprit; name / identify the culprit; the main culprit. Legal twin: offender. Trap: cult. News, science, and citizenship. The one to blame, person or thing.

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