sinner

A sinner is a person who commits a sin, or is perceived as morally wrong according to a particular ethical or religious framework. The term is used both within religious traditions to describe someone who violates divine or moral law and, more generally, in secular discourse to denote actions deemed immoral.

Etymology and usage: The word sinner comes from Old English synnere, from synn “sin” plus the agentive suffix -ere. It is related to words in other Germanic languages and reflects a long-standing association between wrongdoing and personal identity in many cultures. The concept of sin appears across many religious and moral systems, with varying ideas about intent, culpability, and consequences.

Religious contexts: In Christianity, sin denotes an act, thought, or state that separates a person from God. Sinners may seek forgiveness through repentance, confession, faith, and grace. Christian traditions differ on how sin is cleansed, with Catholicism emphasizing the sacrament of reconciliation and Protestant traditions highlighting repentance and faith. In Islam, sins are errors for which individuals can seek repentance (tawba) and perform righteous deeds, with God’s mercy a central theme. Judaism centers sin on transgressions against divine commands, with teshuva (return or repentance), prayer, and acts of repair as pathways to reconciliation.

Secular and cultural usage: Outside religious contexts, sinner is a label for someone deemed morally culpable, sometimes used pejoratively or self-ironically. The term appears in literature, film, and music to explore guilt, temptation, and redemption. In contemporary media, works such as The Sinner engage themes of crime and conscience, while folklore and moral narratives often portray the sinner alongside the penitent.