delinquente

Delinquente is an Italian noun and adjective. As a noun, it denotes a person who commits crimes or engages in unlawful or antisocial behavior; as an adjective, it describes acts, tendencies, or attitudes associated with crime or neglect of duty. In everyday language it can be neutral or come across as stigmatizing, depending on context. In legal or criminological writing, more precise terms such as reo, imputato, or colpevole are often preferred, while "giovane delinquente" is used to describe juvenile delinquency.

Etymology: The word derives from Latin delinquere "to fail to fulfill a duty or obligation" via the participle delinquens, and entered Italian through medieval Latin and Old French-influenced forms. The English term delinquent shares the same origin.

Usage notes: The term is used across historical and sociological discussions of crime, youth crime, and social behavior. It is less common in formal legal codes today, where more specific designations are used. The corresponding noun for the phenomenon is delinquenza; related expressions include "delinquente minorenne" (juvenile delinquent) and "delinquenza sociale" (delinquency).

Translations: In English, delinquente translates as delinquent; in some contexts it may be rendered as offender or criminal, depending on severity and formality.