perpetrator
PER-puh-tray-ter
/ˈpɜːrpətreɪtər/
A person who carries out a harmful, illegal, or immoral act.
This is a neutral, clinical term used by police and journalists before a person is convicted. It focuses on the act rather than the person's identity.
The story behind the word. The Latin 'patrare' is related to 'pater' (father), originally meaning to 'father' or 'bring into being.' To 'perpetrate' was to bring an action to completion. It didn't always have a negative connotation, but by the 1600s, it was almost exclusively used for crimes.
Word relationships
- culprit: Culprit is slightly more informal and can be used for minor things (like who ate the last cookie); perpetrator is for serious crimes.
- offender: Offender is a broad term often used in the context of the justice system (e.g., 'repeat offender').
- victim: The person who suffers the harm from the perpetrator's act.
Commonly confused with
- suspect: A suspect is someone police think did it; a perpetrator is the one who actually did it.
Word family
- perpetrate (verb): To carry out or commit a harmful or illegal action.
- perpetration (noun): The carrying out of a harmful or illegal act.
Collocations
- alleged perpetrator
- identify the perpetrator
- sole perpetrator
- perpetrator of the crime
Example sentences
- "The perpetrator of the robbery remains at large, according to local authorities." A news report about an unsolved crime.
- "Studies show that the perpetrator and the victim often know each other in cases of violent crime." A sociological study on crime.
Memory hook
Perpetrator = Person + Perpetrate. The person who performed the 'trait' (act). The one who did it.
When not to use
Once someone is convicted, 'criminal' or 'convict' is more specific. Before they are caught, 'suspect' is often used if a specific person is in mind.
Fun facts
- In police slang, this is often shortened to 'perp.'
- The verb 'perpetuate' is often confused with 'perpetrate,' but it means to make something continue indefinitely.
Explore more words
perpetrate, perpetuate, atrocity, misconduct, complicit, heinous
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