Sospetto

Sospetto is an Italian noun meaning a belief or feeling that something may be true, especially regarding wrongdoing. It can refer to a general sense of doubt about someone’s actions or to a specific indication that a crime or improper conduct might have occurred. The plural form is sospetti. The word is used in everyday language, in legal and investigative contexts, and in expressions such as “ho il sospetto che…” (I have a suspicion that…), “un sospetto di frode” (a suspicion of fraud), or “sollevare sospetti” (to raise suspicions).

Etymology and related forms: Sospetto derives from Latin suspectus, the past participle of suspicere (“to suspect”). It has cognates in other Romance languages, such as Spanish sospecha and French soupçon, reflecting a common Latin root. Related Italian forms include sospettoso (suspicious by nature) and sospettato (suspected or suspect, used as a noun or adjective).

Usage in law and discourse: In formal or legal contexts, sospetto denotes a preliminary basis for inquiry rather than proof. Phrases like “sospetto di reato” (suspicion of a crime) indicate grounds for a police or judicial investigation, while final charges require sufficient evidence. In everyday speech, the term functions more broadly to express doubt or mistrust about a person, an action, or a situation.

See also: Suspect, suspicion.