Definition of "culprit" []

• One charged with an offense or crime. (noun)
• One guilty of a fault or crime. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Arts market, some writing, failed submissions to an open exhibition, our joint 100th birthday, family stuff, loads of photography (like this crescent moon - click on it for full size to see the craters) and a UK premier of a film to organise plus two other screenings for the science festival but the main culprit is the return to full time day job for pension reasons!"
• "The main culprit is the famous Crow's Nest Pass. rate agreement which has kept grain freight rates at the same level since 1897."
• "Rather: It has been more than a year and half now since the string of deadly anthrax attacks in this country, and still no arrests, even though investigators believe they know who the culprit is and where he is."