n. & adj.
n. a person who has committed a crime or crimes.
adj. 1 of, involving, or concerning crime (criminal records). 2 having committed (and usu. been convicted of) a crime. 3 Law relating to or expert in criminal law rather than civil or political matters (criminal code; criminal lawyer). 4 colloq. scandalous, deplorable. criminal law law concerned with punishment of offenders (opp. civil law). criminal libel see LIBEL. criminality n. criminally adv.
[ ME f. LL criminalis (as CRIME) ]