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culpa

American

[kuhl-puh, kool-pah] / ˈkʌl pə, ˈkʊl pɑ /

noun

plural

culpae

Roman and Civil Law. negligence; neglect (distinguished from dolus).

One is not always liable before law for culpa resulting in damages.
guilt; sin.

culpa British

/ ˈkʊlpɑː /

noun

civil law an act of neglect
a fault; sin; guilt

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of culpa

1250–1300; Old English < Latin: fault, liability, blame

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"Normally, when presidents realise they are angering the public, they pull back and have some kind of mea culpa," Rowland said.

From BBC • Feb. 24, 2026

Por blasfemo que parezca al referirse a uno de los mejores entrenadores de la historia del deporte de Los Ángeles, esta fue culpa de McVay.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 26, 2026

Mr. Steyer has endorsed them, but it’s never too late for a mea culpa.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 10, 2025

Montier’s mea culpa came in 2022, when he reflected on why his argument had been so wrong.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 24, 2025

Not only did she have to deliver the biggest mea culpa in NASA's history, every second of it would be remembered forever.

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023