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Culpability: meaning, definitions and examples

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culpability

 

[ ˌkʌlpəˈbɪlɪti ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

legal

The state of being guilty or responsible for a wrongdoing or error.

Synonyms

blame, guilt, responsibility.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
culpability

Use 'culpability' when discussing legal or formal responsibility for a wrongdoing. This term is often utilized in legal contexts to denote someone's degree of fault.

  • The driver's culpability in the accident was clear from the evidence presented in court
guilt

Use 'guilt' to describe the internal feeling of regret or remorse over a wrongdoing. This term is more emotional and personal, rather than formal or legal.

  • He couldn't sleep because of the guilt he felt after lying to his friend
responsibility

Use 'responsibility' in a broader sense when talking about the duty to handle something or take care of it. It does not necessarily imply wrongdoing.

  • It is your responsibility to ensure that the project is completed on time
blame

Use 'blame' when you want to discuss assigning responsibility for a negative event or situation, often informally. It has a slightly negative connotation and implies judgment.

  • She blamed him for the mistake on the report

Examples of usage

  • The company accepted full culpability for the environmental disaster.
  • The court determined his culpability in the crime.

Translations

Translations of the word "culpability" in other languages:

🇵🇹 culpabilidade

🇮🇳 दोषिता

🇩🇪 Schuld

🇮🇩 kesalahan

🇺🇦 винуватість

🇵🇱 wina

🇯🇵 罪責 (zaisei)

🇫🇷 culpabilité

🇪🇸 culpabilidad

🇹🇷 suçluluk

🇰🇷 유죄 (yuje)

🇸🇦 الذنب

🇨🇿 vina

🇸🇰 vina

🇨🇳 罪责 (zuìzé)

🇸🇮 krivda

🇮🇸 sekt

🇰🇿 кінәлілік

🇬🇪 ბრალეულობა

🇦🇿 günahkarlıq

🇲🇽 culpabilidad

Etymology

The word 'culpability' originated from the Latin word 'culpabilis', which means 'worthy of blame'. It has been used in legal contexts for centuries to refer to the state of being responsible for a wrongdoing. The concept of culpability is central to the principles of justice and accountability in many legal systems around the world.

Word Frequency Rank

Positioned at #21,088, this word is part of extensive vocabulary. It's relatively rare in general usage but may be important in specific fields or formal writing.