Word of the Day - 02/20/26
exculpate
/'ɛkskəl,peɪt/(v.): pronounce or demonstrate that someone is not guilty of criminal charges
The court's decision to exculpate the defendant was based on compelling new evidence.
Word Origin
The word 'exculpate' originates from Latin. It is formed from 'ex-' meaning 'out of' or 'from', and 'culpa' meaning 'fault' or 'blame'. The suffix '-ate' is used to form verbs. Thus, 'exculpate' literally means 'to free from blame'.
Words with similar Latin origins include 'culprit' (from Latin 'culpa'), 'culpable' (from Latin 'culpabilis', meaning deserving of blame), and 'inculpate' (from Latin 'in-' meaning 'in' or 'into' + 'culpa').