What does crime mean?
Crime is an act or omission that breaks the law and is therefore punishable by the authority of a state or other governing body. It covers everything from minor offences such as petty theft to grave wrongs like murder, and it may involve either a deliberate action or a failure to act where the law imposes a duty. Beyond individual offences, "crime" is also used as an uncountable noun to describe unlawful activity as a whole — a sense central to news reporting, criminology, and public policy, where phrases like "violent crime" and "the crime rate" are common. The word derives from Latin "crimen", meaning charge or offence, entering English via Old French in the medieval period. Figuratively, "crime" can describe anything felt to be deeply regrettable or wrong, as in "it's a crime to waste food." Because law differs between jurisdictions, what counts as crime varies across time and place, making it a fundamentally social concept rather than a fixed one.
nounAn action or omission that constitutes an offence and is punishable by law; more broadly, such actions considered as a whole or as a social phenomenon.
- A specific act or omission punishable by law; an offence against the state.
- Unlawful activity considered collectively, especially as a social phenomenon (e.g. in statistics, journalism, or policy).
"Burglary is a serious crime that can carry a lengthy prison sentence."
"She was arrested for the crime of fraud after investigators traced the missing funds."
"Violent crime has fallen steadily in many major cities over the past two decades."
The plural "crimes" refers to individual countable offences, distinct from the uncountable use of "crime" to mean unlawful activity in general.
"He was convicted of several crimes, including theft and arson."
The word "crime" comes from the Latin "crimen", which originally meant not just wrongdoing but also a charge or accusation — meaning every crime begins, linguistically at least, with an accusation.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of crime
The English word "crime" originates from the Latin "crimen", which denoted a charge, accusation, or fault, and passed into English through Old French "crime" during the Middle Ages. The same Latin root underlies related words such as "criminal", "incriminate", and "recrimination", all of which concern blame or accusation. Over time the term narrowed from its broad sense of accusation or fault to its modern legal meaning of an offence punishable by law.
Related word forms
How crime is actually used
"Crime" functions both as a countable noun ("a crime was committed") and as an uncountable mass noun when discussing unlawful activity in general ("the fight against crime"). In informal speech it is sometimes used hyperbolically — e.g., "it's a crime to waste good food" — though this figurative use carries no legal meaning.
Easily confused with crime
"Crime" can be an uncountable mass noun referring to unlawful activity in general ("a rise in crime"), while "crimes" refers to individual countable offences.
"Sin" denotes a transgression against divine or moral law, whereas "crime" specifically denotes an offence against the law of the state, punishable by legal authority.