culpable

UK: /ˈkʌlpəb^əl/ US: /ˈkʌlpəbəl/ ,(kul′pə bəl)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

cul•pa•ble /ˈkʌlpəbəl/   adj. [be + ~]

1. deserving blame; guilty:
   He was culpable, but whether he could be charged legally was another story.

cul•pa•bil•i•ty /ˌkʌlpəˈbɪlɪti/  cul•pa•ble•ness, n. 

[uncountable] The question of culpability is the heart of the matter.

cul•pa•bly, adv. See -culp-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

cul•pa•ble  (kul′pə bəl), adj. 

1. deserving blame or censure;
   blameworthy.

• Latin as above
• Middle French
• Latin culpābilis, equivalent. to culpā(re) to hold liable (derivative of culpa blame) + -bilis -ble; replacing Middle English coupable
• Middle English 1275–1325

cul′pa•bil′i•ty, cul′pa•ble•ness, n. 
cul′pa•bly, adv. 
Synonyms

reprehensible.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

culpable / ˈkʌlpəb^əl/ adjective

1. deserving censure; blameworthy

Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French coupable, from Latin culpābilis, from culpāre to blame, from culpa fault

ˌculpaˈbility, ˈculpableness noun

ˈculpably adverb