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.
Phrases and idioms:
criminal law law concerned with punishment of offenders (opp. civil law). criminal libel see LIBEL.
Derivatives:
criminality n. criminally adv.
Etymology: ME f. LL criminalis (as CRIME)