criminale

Criminale is an Italian adjective meaning "criminal" or "pertaining to crime." It is used to describe acts, people, or institutions associated with wrongdoing, as in un atto criminale (a criminal act) or un individuo criminale (a criminal individual). In Italian, criminale can also function as a noun in certain contexts, for example un criminale to refer to a person who commits crimes.

Etymology and form: The term derives from Latin criminalis, from crimen “crime.” It is related to cognate terms in other Romance languages. The singular is criminale for both masculine and feminine; the plural is criminali for both genders. The feminine singular form is identical to the masculine singular.

Usage in law and discourse: In legal language, criminale appears in phrases such as reato criminale (criminal offense) and attività criminale (criminal activity). It can be used more broadly to describe people (criminale), actions as illicit, or organizations involved in crime, although more common constructions in Italian include criminale merely as an attribute rather than a standalone noun.

Cross-linguistic notes: In many Romance languages similar forms exist (for example Spanish criminal, French criminel). In English, the direct borrowing criminale is uncommon and typically occurs only within Italian-language contexts or academic discussions.

Overall, criminale is a versatile Italian term that conveys the idea of criminality and is used across legal, criminological, and everyday contexts to describe illegal acts, individuals who commit crimes, or crime-related phenomena.