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Culprit vs Thief - What's the difference?

culprit | thief |

As nouns the difference between culprit and thief

is that culprit is the person or thing at fault for a problem or crime while thief is one who has carried out a theft.

culprit

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • The person or thing at fault for a problem or crime.
    • I tightened the loose bolt that was the culprit ; it should work now.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2012 , date=June 9 , author=Owen Phillips , title=Euro 2012: Netherlands 0-1 Denmark , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=But the Dutch dominated only to waste numerous efforts, with Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie the main culprits .}}

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Related terms

    * culpable * mea culpa

    thief

    English

    Noun

    (thieves)
  • One who has carried out a theft.
  • (obsolete) A waster in the snuff of a candle.
    • (Bishop Hall)

    Hyponyms

    * burglar * cat burglar * mugger * robber * pickpocket

    Related terms

    * thieve * thief in law

    Derived terms

    * *

    Anagrams

    * English nouns with irregular plurals