guilty

[ gil-tee ]

adjective

, guilt·i·er, guilt·i·est.

1. having committed an offense, crime, violation, or wrong, especially against moral or penal law; justly subject to a certain accusation or penalty; culpable:

   The jury found her guilty of murder.

2. characterized by, connected with, or involving guilt:

   guilty intent.

   Synonyms: nefarious, illicit, culpable, felonious, criminal

3. having or showing a sense of guilt, whether real or imagined:

   a guilty conscience.

guilty

/ ˈɡɪltɪ /

adjective

1. responsible for an offence or misdeed
2. law having committed an offence or adjudged to have done so

   the accused was found guilty

3. plead guilty
   law (of a person charged with an offence) to admit responsibility; confess
4. of, showing, or characterized by guilt

   a guilty smile

   guilty pleasures

Derived Forms

• ˈguiltiness, noun
• ˈguiltily, adverb

Other Words From

• guilti·ly adverb
• guilti·ness noun
• over·guilty adjective
• quasi-guilti·ly adverb
• quasi-guilty adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of guilty¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English gyltig; equivalent to guilt + -y ¹

Example Sentences

"As far as I'm concerned, he was as guilty as the person who pulled the trigger", Mr Edwards said.

From BBC

When he appeared at the Old Bailey, in London, via video link, the former firearms officer entered a not guilty plea to all of the charges.

From BBC

Huizar eventually pleaded guilty to multiple corruption charges and is serving a 13-year prison sentence.

From Los Angeles Times

A Lancaster 18-year-old pleaded guilty Wednesday to phoning in hundreds of false threats of imminent bombings, mass shootings and violence targeting locations across the U.S., including places of worship and schools.

From Los Angeles Times

Filion has also pleaded guilty to making three other threatening calls, according to the Department of Justice.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• convicted
• culpable
• liable
• remorseful
• responsible
• sorry
• wrong