Dictionary Thesaurus Word Dynamo Quotes Reference Translator Spanish

exculpate

[ek-skuhl-peyt, ik-skuhl-peyt]

Origin

verb (used with object), ex·cul·pat·ed, ex·cul·pat·ing.

to clear from a charge of guilt or fault; free from blame; vindicate.

Origin:
1650–60; < Latin exculpātus freed from blame, equivalent to ex- ex-¹ + culpātus blamed (past participle of culpāre; see culpable)

Related forms

ex·cul·pa·ble

[ik-skuhl-puh-buhl] , adjective

ex·cul·pa·tion, noun

non·ex·cul·pa·ble, adverb

non·ex·cul·pa·tion, noun

self-ex·cul·pa·tion, noun

EXPAND

un·ex·cul·pa·ble, adjective

un·ex·cul·pat·ed, adjective

COLLAPSE

Can be confused: exculpate, exonerate, inculpate.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source

Link To exculpate

00:10

00:09

00:08

00:07

00:06

00:05

00:04

00:03

00:02

00:01

Exculpate is a GRE word you need to know.

So is benign. Does it mean:

authoritative permission or approval, as for an action; something that serves to support an action or condition

having a kindly disposition; showing or expressive of gentleness or kindness

LEARN MORE GRE WORDS WITH WORD DYNAMO...

Collins

World English Dictionary

exculpate (ˈɛkskʌlˌpeɪt, ɪkˈskʌlpeɪt)

—vb
	(tr) to free from blame or guilt; vindicate or exonerate

[C17: from Medieval Latin exculpāre, from Latin ex-¹ + culpāre to blame, from culpa fault, blame]

exculpable

—*adj*

excul'pation

—n

ex'culpatory

—*adj*

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source

Etymonline

Word Origin & History

exculpate

1650s, from M.L. exculpatus, pp. of exculpare, from L. ex culpa, from ex "from" + culpa abl. of culpa "blame." Related: Exculpated; exculpating.

Word Dynamo Rating For Exculpate

People who can define Exculpate may know 11,290 words.

How many words do you know?

Remove ads like these. Upgrade now!

Related Words

exculpatory

Quote Of The Day

"Good writing is always a breaking of the soil, clearing away prejudices, pulling up of sour weeds of crooked thinking, stripping the turf so as to get at what is fertile beneath. It would be amusing to carry the simile further. Those bulbs that flower in the sand and wither! The gay fiction annual that has to be planted again every year! Those experimental plants from Russia, France, and Greenwich Village that are always getting winter killed—confound 'em!—is it worth while planting them again? The stocky perennial that keeps coming up and coming up—so easy to grow and so ugly. Scarlet sage that gives a touch of fiery sin to the edge of the suburbanite's concrete walk! And then the good flowers—as honest as they are beautiful! The well-ordered gar den! The climbing rose that escapes and is the most beautiful of all!"

-Henry Seidel Canby

Partners:Word Bloglines Citysearch The Daily Beast Ask Answers Ask Kids Life123 Sendori Thesaurus

About Privacy Policy Terms of Use API Careers Advertise with Us Contact Us Help

exculpate

ex·cul·pate