culprit
/ˈkʌlpɹɪt/ noun C1- The person or thing at fault for a problem or crime. · I have tightened the loose bolt that was the culprit; it should work now.
Plural culprits
From the library
“Then West, if he is the culprit, must have had a duplicate.
This, sir, is all I can tell you, and you see how uninteresting it is.” As Dantès spoke, Villefort gazed at his ingenuous and open countenance, and recollected the words of Renée, who, without knowing who the culprit was, had besought his indulgence for him.
One of the culprits will be mazzolato; he is an atrocious villain, who murdered the priest who brought him up, and deserves not the smallest pity.
The reason for so publicly announcing all this is, that all good and faithful Catholics may offer up their prayers for the unfortunate culprits, and, above all, beseech of Heaven to grant them a sincere repentance.”
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