culpability

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   responsibility for a fault or wrongdoing; the state of deserving blame

   The inquiry examined the directors' culpability for the safety failures.

2. 2
   noun

   the degree of legal blame attached to a crime or offense

   The judge considered intent when assessing the defendant's culpability.

From Middle French culpabilité, ultimately from Latin culpabilis ("blameworthy"), from culpa ("fault, blame"), with the noun-forming suffix -ity. It names either the fact or the degree of being culpable.

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