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"criminal" in seven languages

Meaningcriminal

Spanish

criminal

/kɾimiˈnal/

masc.learned

Same form for a woman: la criminal.

French

criminel

/kʁiminɛl/

masc.learned

fem.: criminelle

Italian

criminale

/krimiˈnale/

masc.learned

Portuguese

criminoso

/kɾimiˈnozu/

masc.other source · Latin CRĪMINŌSUM (learned)

Criminal is mostly an adjective in Portuguese.

Romanian

infractor

/infrakˈtor/

masc.other source · Latin INFRĀCTŌREM 'breaker' (learned)

Romanian criminal usually means 'murderer'.

Catalan

criminal

/kɾimiˈnal/

masc.learned

Same form for a woman: la criminal.

English

criminal

/ˈkɹɪmənəl/

from Latin/French · Latin CRĪMINĀLIS, partly via French

English → ItaliancriminalcriminaleCognateSame source — inherited, learned or borrowed. You can recognize it.What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

CRĪMINĀLEM‘of crime’

All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.

The story

Latin CRĪMEN first meant 'charge, accusation', and only later the deed itself.

English relatives: crime, incriminate

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In a sentence

  • esLa policía detuvo al criminal.
  • frLa police a arrêté le criminel.
  • itLa polizia ha arrestato il criminale.
  • ptA polícia prendeu o criminoso.
  • roPoliția l-a arestat pe infractor.
  • caLa policia va detenir el criminal.
  • enThe police arrested the criminal.

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