Exculpate
/ˈɛks.kəl.peɪt/noun
To clear someone of blame or guilt.
Did you know?Exculpate comes from Latin legal language built on culpa, the same root behind culprit, so the word’s core idea is literally removing fault from a person.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
exculpāre
“to free from blame; to clear of fault”
Classical Latin
Latin
ex- + culpa
“out of, away from + fault, blame”
Late Latin
Latin
exculpatus
“cleared of blame”
15th-16th Century
English
exculpate
“to clear from blame or guilt”
Modern English
English
exculpate
“to absolve or vindicate someone from accusation”
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