Word
perpetrator
Phoneticsper·pe·tra·tor, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈpɝpəˌtɹeɪtɝ/
UK/pˈɜːpɪtɹˌeɪtɐ/
Countable noun
Definition
n. someone who does something wrong or illegal. You usually hear this word in news stories about crimes.
n. a person who carries out a harmful, illegal, or immoral act. Often used in legal or journalistic contexts to identify the actor without naming them.
Examples
“The police are still searching for the perpetrator.”
“Witnesses were asked to provide a description of the perpetrator to help the investigators identify a suspect.”
“Criminologists often study the background of the perpetrator to understand the systemic factors that might have contributed to the commission of the offense.”
Examples
simple
“The police are still searching for the perpetrator.”
contextual
“Witnesses were asked to provide a description of the perpetrator to help the investigators identify a suspect.”
complex
“Criminologists often study the background of the perpetrator to understand the systemic factors that might have contributed to the commission of the offense.”
Usage
Commonly abbreviated to 'perp' in informal police jargon; typically takes the preposition 'of' when linked to a specific crime.
Real-World Examples
“A memorial in Washington DC for the second world war was vandalized with bubbly soap and graffiti on Thursday, prompting vows from the US government to find the perpetrator.” “Hoping to dissolve his shame, one helpful contact avers that one in six domestic abuse cases involve a female perpetrator and male victim.” “UNAMA reports have already highlighted a significant lack of public information on the status of investigations or actions to hold perpetrators of human rights violations to account.” “Men are the biggest perpetrators of sextortion and most likely to spread misinformation, she says.” Etymology
From Latin perpetrātor. By surface analysis, perpetrate + -or.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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