Blameful

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈbleɪmfl̩/

Definitions

1. Deserving of criticism or censure for having committed a wrongful or reprehensible act
2. Worthy of a reprimand or condemnation due to involvement in a misdeed or culpable behavior
3. Characterized by an inherent tendency to attract criticism or negative judgment for actions deemed unethical or improper

Etymology: "Blameful" is a plain compound: "blame" joined to the suffix "-ful," meaning "full of" or "characterized by." Its ancestor "blame" came into English from Old French "blasmer," which in turn traces back to late Latin "blasphemare," the same root that gave us "blaspheme." Over time "blame" lost its religious edge and came to mean finding fault with someone, and "blameful" followed that path, describing a person or conduct deserving of reproach. The adjective appeared in Middle English, when the suffix "-ful" was still productive and speakers readily built new adjectives from nouns, so "blameful" has the same structure as words like "shameful" or "hopeful." Its meaning stayed close to the sense of "blame" itself: something that makes a person worthy of condemnation for a wrongdoing they were involved in.

Synonyms: culpable, responsible, faulty, reprehensible, liable

Antonyms: innocent, blameless, justifiable, unaccountable, exonerated