Lombroso

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A 19th-century Italian criminologist known for his theories on physical characteristics and their relation to criminal behavior
2. An influential figure in the study of sociology and criminology, particularly regarding the idea of atavism
3. A pioneering researcher whose work examined the connection between biological traits and tendencies toward criminality

Etymology: Cesare Lombroso was an Italian physician who argued that some criminals were born that way, marked by inherited "atavistic" traits such as unusual skull shapes, asymmetrical faces and large jaws. His book "L'uomo delinquente" (The Criminal Man) made him the best-known figure of the Italian school of criminology. His theories were so closely tied to his name that the surname became a label for the idea itself. The adjective "Lombrosian" describes approaches that read criminality from physical features. Later criminologists largely rejected this method as unscientific, and it is now remembered mainly as a cautionary example of how confident claims about the body can justify prejudice.