crim·i·nal

[krim-uh-nl]
adjective
1.
of the nature of or involving crime.
2.
guilty of crime.
3.
Law. of or pertaining 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
6.
a person guilty or convicted of a crime.
00:10
Criminal is always a great word to know.
So is doohickey. Does it mean:
a fool or simpleton; ninny.
a gadget; dingus; thingumbob.

Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English < Anglo-French < Late Latin crīminālis, equivalent to Latin crīmin- (stem of crīmen; see crime) + -ālis -al1

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


1. felonious, unlawful. See illegal. 6. malefactor, evildoer, transgressor, culprit, felon, crook, hoodlum, gangster.


1. lawful. 2. innocent.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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World English Dictionary
criminal (ˈkrɪmɪnəl) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n
1.  a person charged with and convicted of crime
2.  a person who commits crimes for a living
 
adj
3.  of, involving, or guilty of crime
4.  (prenominal) of or relating to crime or its punishment: criminal court; criminal lawyer
5.  informal senseless or deplorable: a criminal waste of money
 
[C15: from Late Latin crīminālis; see crime, -al1]
 
'criminally
 
adv

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

criminal
early 15c. (adj.), from Fr. criminel (11c.), from L. criminalis, from L. crimen (gen. criminis); see crime, preserving the Latin -n-. As a noun, from 1620s. Criminal law (or criminal justice) distinguished from civil in English at least since late 15c.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
Not everyone who does things criminal is going to be diagnosed as a psychopath.
Applicants are subject to a criminal background check.
The cost for the criminal history report will be the responsibility of the
  successful candidate.
Moreover, they can affect important social outcomes ranging from criminal
  sentencing to electoral success.
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