Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

culpable

/ˈkʌlpəbəl/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.89 in modern English

Syllables
cul-pa-ble
IPA
/ˈkʌlpəbəl/
14
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
3
Syllables
7
Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Meriting condemnation, censure or blame, especially as something wrong, harmful or injurious; blameworthy, guilty.

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Middle English culpable, from Old French culpable, from Latin culpābilis (“blameworthy”), from culpō (“to blame, condemn”), from culpa (“a fault, crime, mistake”). Compare also culprit.

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: culpable, culpābilis

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈkʌlpəbəl/
  • British English: /ˈkʌlpəbəl/

Inflected Forms

more culpable (comparative) most culpable (superlative)

Derived Forms

culpability culpableness culpably inculpable nonculpable unculpable

Phrases

culpable homicide culpable negligence mea culpa

Frequently Paired Words

culpate culprit disculp disculpate exculpate inculpate mea culpa

Synonyms

at fault to blame blameworthy censurable culpable guilty nocent reprehensible

Questions

How do you pronounce culpable?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈkʌlpəbəl/.
What does culpable mean?
Meriting condemnation, censure or blame, especially as something wrong, harmful or injurious; blameworthy, guilty.
Where does culpable come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce culpable

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “culpable”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈkʌlpəbəl/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “culpable”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “culpable” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.