What does perpetrator mean?
A perpetrator is a person who carries out, commits, or is responsible for a criminal, violent, or otherwise reprehensible act. The word is especially common in news reporting, investigations, and legal contexts, where it identifies the person thought to have done something wrong. It is more formal than “culprit” and more explicitly focuses on responsibility for carrying out an act. A perpetrator may be described as an “alleged perpetrator” when authorities have not established guilt. In ordinary conversation, “offender” or “criminal” may sound more natural, depending on the seriousness of the act. The term is also used for people responsible for noncriminal misconduct, such as violations of rules or policies. Its strong association with blame makes it unsuitable as a neutral label for a person involved in an incident whose responsibility remains unclear.
nounA person who carries out or is responsible for a criminal or otherwise reprehensible act.
- A person who carries out a criminal, violent, or otherwise blameworthy act.
"The police are searching for the perpetrator of the arson."
"The witness identified the perpetrator of the assault."
"The perpetrator of the data breach was reportedly an former employee."
The standard plural form; use it when referring to multiple people responsible for wrongdoing.
"The perpetrators were identified through surveillance footage."
“Perpetrator” comes from a Latin word associated with carrying something through to the end—fittingly, it describes the person responsible for seeing an act through.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does perpetrator come from?
“Perpetrator” comes from the Latin noun perpetrator, formed from the verb perpetrare. That verb meant “to carry through,” “to complete,” or “to continue,” deriving from per- (“through”) and petere (“to seek” or “aim at”). In English, the word was adopted in the early 16th century in the sense of a person who performs or carries out an action, especially a reprehensible one. Related English words include “perpetrate,” “perpetual,” and “perpetuity,” all reflecting the idea of continuing or carrying through.
Related word forms
How perpetrator is actually used
This is a formal or journalistic term. It is often used in reporting crimes and other serious wrongdoing, and may be paired with “alleged” when guilt has not been established.
Easily confused with perpetrator
A culprit is someone who has committed an offense, whereas a perpetrator more explicitly denotes the person who carried out or was responsible for an act.