Convict

Definition

Convict can be used both as a noun and a verb. As a noun, it refers to a person who has been found guilty of a crime and sentenced to imprisonment. As a verb, it means to declare someone guilty of a criminal offense in a court of law.

Parts of Speech

• Noun
• Verb

Pronunciation

Noun - American English

• IPA Pronunciation: /ˈkɑnvɪkt/
• Respelling: KON-vikt

Verb - American English

• IPA Pronunciation: /kənˈvɪkt/
• Respelling: kuhn-VIKT

Noun - British English

• IPA Pronunciation: /ˈkɒnvɪkt/
• Respelling: KON-vikt

Verb - British English

• IPA Pronunciation: /kənˈvɪkt/
• Respelling: kuhn-VIKT

The noun "convict" and the verb "convict" are pronounced differently, with the stress on the first syllable for the noun and on the second syllable for the verb in both American and British English.

Etymology

The word "convict" comes from the Latin "convictus," the past participle of "convincere," meaning "to overcome" or "to prove guilty." The term entered the English language in the late 14th century, initially referring to the act of proving someone guilty. By the 16th century, it was also used as a noun for someone found guilty of a crime.

Derivatives

• Conviction (noun)
• Convicted (adjective)
• Convictable (adjective)
• Reconvict (verb)
• Unconvicted (adjective)

Synonyms

• Criminal
• Prisoner
• Felon

Antonyms

• Acquit
• Exonerate
• Innocent

Usage

The term "convict" is commonly used in legal and criminal justice contexts. As a noun, it refers to individuals who have been found guilty of a crime and are serving sentences, typically in prison. As a verb, it describes the process of officially declaring someone guilty in a court of law. The word can be used in both formal legal settings and informal conversations to describe those found guilty of criminal activity.

Related Terms

• Sentence: The punishment assigned to someone found guilty of a crime.
• Acquit: To declare someone not guilty of a crime.
• Incarceration: The state of being confined in prison.

Detailed Definitions

Noun

• A person found guilty of a crime: Refers to an individual who has been convicted in a court of law and sentenced to imprisonment.
  • Example: "The convict was sentenced to 10 years in prison."

Verb

• To declare someone guilty of a crime: Refers to the legal process of proving and determining guilt in a court of law.
  • Example: "The jury convicted the defendant after reviewing all the evidence."