ˌkriməˈnaləd.ē, -ətē, -i noun
( -es )
Etymology: French or Medieval Latin; French criminalité, from Medieval Latin criminalitat-, criminalitas, from Late Latin criminalis criminal + Latin -itat-, -itas -ity — more at criminal
1. : the quality or state of being guilty of crime or of being criminal
2. : an act or practice that constitutes a crime
3. : the criminal class
prohibition opened up a world of profits to organized criminality — Newsweek