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culprit

noun [C]
 
 
/ˈkʌl.prɪt/

Definition

someone who has done something wrong: Police hope the public will help them to find the culprits.Criminals - general words a fact or situation that is the reason for something bad happening: Children in this country are getting much too fat, and sugar and sweets are the main culprits.Reasons and explanations
(Definition of culprit noun from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

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