guilty English · revision 4285

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 1000}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈɡɪl.ti/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|gilty]],^(MWU 2024) [[inh|ang|gyltiġ|t=offending, delinquent, criminal]],^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) formed from gylt, the source of [[guilt]], with the suffix -ig, the source of [[-y]].^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(NODE 1998)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ “That has offended, delinquent, criminal”: about 1000 in the OED,^(OED 1989) in Old English.^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In law, “that has committed a particular offence”, it is from the late 13th century,^(Etymonline) 1297 in the OED.^(OED 1989) “Culpably responsible for a result”, guilty of, is from before 1225,^(OED 1989) and “deserving of a penalty” from about 1380, now obsolete.^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate) Of the conscience or mind, “laden with guilt”, it is from 1593, and of feelings prompted by a sense of guilt from the same year,^(OED 1989) the 1590s in Etymonline.^(Etymonline) ''To plead not guilty'' is from the 15th century, but ''to plead guilty'' only from the 19th: the OED notes that guilty is technically not a plea but a confession.^(Etymonline) Johnson in 1755 derived it from a Saxon giltig, “one condemned to pay a fine for an offence”.^(Johnson 1755)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1000 – delinquent, criminal.^(OED 1989)

+ * a. 1225 – responsible for a result.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1297 – having committed an offence.^(OED 1989)

+ * 15th century – ''plead not guilty''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1593 – of the conscience, laden with guilt.^(OED 1989)

+ * 19th century – ''plead guilty''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Responsible for a wrong or a [[crime]]; deserving [[blame]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Found by a court to have committed a crime.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Feeling or showing [[guilt]]: ''a guilty conscience''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Suggesting or involving guilt: ''a guilty look''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[guiltily]]

+ * [[guiltiness]]

+ * [[bloodguilty]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[guilt]]

+ * [[guiltless]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}