Word of the Day: CULPABLE

cul·pa·ble

adjective \ˈkəl-pə-bəl\

: deserving blame : guilty of doing something wrong

Full Definition of CULPABLE

1 archaic :  guilty, criminal

2:  meriting condemnation or blame especially as wrong or harmful <culpable negligence>

— cul·pa·bil·i·ty noun

— cul·pa·ble·ness noun

— cul·pa·bly adverb

Examples of CULPABLE

1. They held her culpable for the accident.
2. He’s more culpable than the others because he’s old enough to know better.

Origin of CULPABLE

Middle English coupable, from Anglo-French cupable, culpable, from Latin culpabilis, from culpare to blame, from culpa guilt

First Known Use: 14th century

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/culpable

Culpable

Blameworthy; involving the commission of a fault or the breach of a duty imposed by law.

Culpability generally implies that an act performed is wrong but does not involve any evil intent by the wrongdoer. The connotation of the term is fault rather than malice or a guilty purpose. It has limited significance in Criminal Law except in cases of reckless Homicide in which a person acts negligently or demonstrates a reckless disregard for life, which results in another person’s death. In general, however, culpability has milder connotations. It is used to mean reprehensible rather than wantonly or grossly negligent behavior. Culpable conduct may be wrong but it is not necessarily criminal.

Culpable ignorance is the lack of knowledge or understanding that results from the omission of ordinary care to acquire such knowledge or understanding.

 

http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/culpable