criminal

[ krim-uh-nl ]

adjective

1. of the nature of or involving crime.

   Synonyms: unlawful, felonious

   Antonyms: lawful

2. guilty of crime.

   Antonyms: innocent

3. Law. of or relating to crime or its punishment:

   a criminal proceeding.

4. senseless; foolish:

   It's criminal to waste so much good food.

5. exorbitant; grossly overpriced:

   They charge absolutely criminal prices.

noun

1. a person guilty or convicted of a crime.

   Synonyms: gangster, hoodlum, crook, felon, culprit, transgressor, evildoer, malefactor

criminal

/ ˈkrɪmɪnəl /

noun

1. a person charged with and convicted of crime
2. a person who commits crimes for a living

adjective

1. of, involving, or guilty of crime
2. prenominal of or relating to crime or its punishment

   criminal lawyer

   criminal court

3. informal.
   senseless or deplorable

   a criminal waste of money

Derived Forms

• ˈcriminally, adverb

Other Words From

• crim·i·nal·ly adverb
• non·crim·i·nal adjective noun
• non·crim·i·nal·ly adverb
• qua·si-crim·i·nal adjective
• qua·si-crim·i·nal·ly adverb
• sub·crim·i·nal adjective
• sub·crim·i·nal·ly adverb
• su·per·crim·i·nal adjective noun
• su·per·crim·i·nal·ly adverb
• un·crim·i·nal adjective
• un·crim·i·nal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of criminal¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin crīminālis, from Latin crīmin- (stem of crīmen “accusation, blame, charge”; crime ) + -ālis -al ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of criminal¹

C15: from Late Latin crīminālis; see crime , -al ¹

Synonym Study

See illegal.

Example Sentences

In September, "zombie-style knives" and "zombie-style machetes" were banned in England and Wales, making it an imprisonable offence to own, make, transport or sell a wide range of “statement” knives favoured by criminal gangs.

From BBC

"They all look like offensive weapons under the Act," said Anthony Orchard KC, a criminal barrister who’s prosecuted many stabbings and knife offences.

From BBC

Unless it’s used in a criminal investigation, information captured by a license plate reader is not stored with any personally identifiable information, said Sgt.

From Los Angeles Times

In a Republic of Ireland civil action - as opposed to a criminal case - neither the complainant nor the accused are entitled to automatic anonymity during the court proceedings.

From BBC

In New York specifically, his criminal fraud conviction in the hush-money case lives on for at least a few more days.

From BBC

Related Words

• corrupt
• deplorable
• illegal
• illegitimate
• illicit
• scandalous
• senseless
• unlawful
• vicious