Doloso

Doloso is an adjective used in several Romance languages, notably Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese, to describe actions or conduct that are deliberate, intentional, or done with malice. The term derives from Latin dolus, meaning deception or trickery.

In legal contexts, doloso denotes intentional wrongdoing, as opposed to fault or negligence. In Spanish and Portuguese law, phrases such as delito doloso or dolo indicate acts carried out with knowledge and will to violate the law. Legal categories often distinguish direct intention (dolo directo) from eventual or foreseeable intent (dolo eventual). In Italian law, doloso similarly refers to acts performed with intent, while colpa or negligenza covers non-intentional cases; Italian jurisprudence also recognizes dolo eventuale, where the actor foresees harm and proceeds anyway.

Beyond strictly legal usage, doloso describes acts that are not accidents but deliberate and malicious. In everyday language, someone may refer to a “fatto doloso” or “danno doloso” to emphasize that harm or wrongdoing was intentional rather than due to error or chance.

Etymology and related terms: the term traces to Latin dolus (deception). Related concepts include dolo, dolo diretto, dolo eventuale, and in contrast, culpa or imprudencia, which characterize lack of intent. In English-language legal discourse, the closest equivalents are terms such as willful, deliberate, or intentional wrongdoing, though the exact legal implications vary by jurisdiction.

Doloso thus functions as a cross-lertilizing term in law and philosophy of responsibility, signaling that the actor acted with intent, not by accident.