culprit
Translation
culprit, offender, perpetrator, cause
Examples
The police quickly identified the main culprit.
The police quickly identified the main culprit.
A faulty wire was the culprit behind the fire.
A faulty wire was the culprit behind the fire.
Grammar Patterns
the culprit behind ((sth.)) the cause of (sth.) A faulty wire was the culprit behind the fire.
Similar Words
Synonyms: offender, perpetrator, wrongdoer, cause
Etymology
From Anglo-Norman 'cul. prit', short for 'culpable, prest (d'averrer nostre bille)' meaning 'guilty, ready (to prove our case)'. It was a legal term.
Memory Tips
Sounds a bit like 'caught it'. The police 'caught it' - the culprit.