perpetrator

UK: /ˈpɜː^rpɪtreɪtə^r/ US: /ˈpɝpɪˌtreɪtɚ/

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

per•pe•tra•tor /ˈpɜrpɪˌtreɪtɚ/  n. [countable]

1. one who perpetrates:
   The police tracked the alleged perpetrator to his hideout.

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

per•pe•trate /ˈpɜrpɪˌtreɪt/   v. [~ + object] , -trat•ed, -trat•ing. 

1. to carry out; do;
   commit:
   to perpetrate a hoax.

per•pe•tra•tion /ˌpɜrpɪˈtreɪʃən/  n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

per•pe•trate  (pûr′pi trāt′), v.t., -trat•ed, -trat•ing. 

1. to commit:
   to perpetrate a crime.
2. to present, execute, or do in a poor or tasteless manner:
   Who perpetrated this so-called comedy?

• Latin perpetrātus (past participle of perpetrāre to carry out, execute, perform), equivalent. to per- per- + -petr- (combining form of patrāre to father, bring about; see pater) + -ā- theme vowel + -tus past participle suffix; see -ate¹
• 1540–50;

per•pe•tra•ble  (pûr′pi trə bəl), adj.  per′pe•tra′tion, n. 
per′pe•tra′tor, n.