criminale Italian · revision 38252

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1065, Umbrian confession formula (Norcia)|origins=la crīmen}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * /kri.miˈna.le/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''criminale''' ''m or f'' by sense (plural criminali)^(Wiktionary)

+ Old Italian forms include [[m|roa-oit|creminale]], [[m|roa-oit|cherminale]] and [[m|roa-oit|crimenal]].^(TLIO)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la-lat|crīminālis|t=relating to crimes]], a learned word of legal Latin, from [[la|crīmen|t=charge, accusation; crime]].^(DELI 1999)^(Nocentini 2010)^(GRADIT 2003)^(Wiktionary)^(OLD 2012) In Latin the adjective meant “criminal” as opposed to “civil”, and the noun moved from “accusation” to “crime”.^(OLD 2012)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010) French [[m|fr|criminel]] has the same source and is recorded from the 12th century.^(DEI|1157)

+

+ Wiktionary derives the Latin noun from [[itc-pro|*kreimən]] and [[ine-pro|*kréymn̥]], built on [[m|ine-pro|*krey-|t=to sift]], the root of [[m|la|cernō|t=to sift; to decide]], and compares [[grc|κρῖμα|tr=krîma|t=judgement]].^(Wiktionary) The OLD calls this explanation doubtful.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLIO's first record is an Umbrian confession formula from Norcia, of 1065.^(TLIO)^(Zingarelli 2010) Old Italian used the word for acts punished by law and for offences against morality and religion: ''peccati criminali'' were the seven deadly sins.^(TLIO) DELI's first dated sense is “criminous”, in Brunetto Latini before 1294, and “relating to crime” follows in Matteo Villani, before 1363.^(DELI 1999)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the legal sense ''criminale'' long stood against ''civile'': Matteo Villani writes of a judge famous “in the practice of criminal and civil suits” (''de’ piati criminali e civili'').^(GDLI|3, 970) As a masculine noun ''il criminale'' was criminal law or the criminal court, as in Machiavelli, and also a crime.^(Tommaseo–Bellini 1861)^(Gabrielli 2020)^(Zingarelli 2010) Today ''penale'' has taken over most of these uses.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+

+ The noun for a person with a strong tendency to antisocial behaviour comes from 19th-century criminal anthropology: DELI's first record is the title of a study by G. B. Bono, Turin, 1884.^(DELI 1999) DEI dates ''criminalità'' to the 14th century, ''criminalista'' to the 17th and ''criminaloide'' to the 20th, and relates ''criminale di guerra'' to a declaration of 1944.^(DEI|1157) The ''manicomio criminale'', an asylum for offenders judged insane, has since been renamed ''ospedale psichiatrico giudiziario''.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1065 – An Umbrian confession formula from Norcia has the word.^(TLIO)

+ * Before 1294 – Brunetto Latini uses it for “criminous”.^(DELI 1999)

+ * Before 1363 – Matteo Villani uses it for what relates to crime.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 17th century – ''Criminalista'' appears.^(DEI|1157)

+ * 1884 – ''Criminali'' for people with criminal tendencies, in a study by G. B. Bono.^(DELI 1999)

+ * 1944 – A declaration defines the ''criminale di guerra'', according to DEI.^(DEI|1157)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Relating to crime: ''indagine criminale'', ''polizia criminale''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(uncommon)'' [[penale|alt=Penal]]: ''diritto criminale''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # Criminal in nature, [[delittuoso]]: ''un atto criminale''.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+ # ''(by extension)'' Extremely reprehensible: ''È criminale lasciare un cane chiuso in macchina d'estate.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|criminal]], someone guilty of serious crimes, a [[delinquente]]: ''I due criminali sono stati fermati al confine.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)^(Wiktionary) A ''criminale di guerra'' is a war criminal.^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Zingarelli 2010)

+ # ''(by extension)'' Someone whose behaviour is dangerous or harmful to others: ''Chi guida ubriaco è un criminale.''^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Sabatini–Coletti 2026)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[criminalità]]

+ * [[criminalista]]

+ * [[criminalistica]]

+ * [[criminalizzare]]

+ * [[criminalmente]]

+ * [[criminaloide]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[crimine]]

+ * [[criminoso]]

+ * [[la|crimen]]

+ * [[fr|criminel]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Set phrases include ''antropologia criminale'' and ''psicologia criminale'', the sciences that study crime and offenders.^(GRADIT 2003)^(Devoto–Oli 2026)^(Gabrielli 2020)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}