perpétrer

Perpétrer is a French verb meaning to commit or carry out, especially a crime or wrongdoing. It is a transitive verb that takes a direct object, as in perpétrer un crime, perpétrer un délit, perpétrer un attentat, or perpétrer un acte répréhensible. In formal or legal writing, the term conveys a strong sense of culpability and is more emphatic or arcane than the plain verb commettre. The phrase la perpétration is used to refer to the act of perpetrating, and un perpétrateur (or une perpétratrice) denotes the perpetrator.

Étymology and usage. Perpétrer derives from the Latin perpetrāre, meaning to accomplish or bring about entirely, via Old French. The word entered French with a specialized legal and criminal-justice connotation and remains largely confined to contexts involving wrongdoing.

Related forms. The noun la perpétration denotes the act of perpetrating; the nouns le perpétrateur and la perpétratrice refer to the person who perpetrates the act. The verb is used primarily in formal, journalistic, or legal discourse; in everyday language, parler would more commonly be used with a similar meaning, though with less emphasis.

Usage notes. Because of its strong negative charge, perpétrer is typically reserved for illicit or reprehensible acts. It is uncommon to hear it used for positive deeds; that would be stylistically incongruous in standard French. See also: commettre (to commit), crime, délit, acte répréhensible.