Corpus delicti, pronounced KOR-puhs di-LIK-ty or -tee, is a Latin term meaning 'body of crime', referring to the essential evidence proving a crime occurred. It has been used in English since 1705.
Corpus delicti (KOR-puhs di-LIK-ty, -tee) is Latin for 'body of crime', referring to the concrete evidence that a crime has been committed, such as a victim's body in a murder case. It has been documented in English since 1705.
| Front | corpus delicti \KOR-puhs di-LIK-ty, -tee\ |
|---|---|
| Back | noun The concrete evidence that shows that a crime has been committed, for example, the body of the victim in the case of a murder. [From Latin, literally body of crime. Earliest documented use: 1705.] "The fact that the State was unable to produce a corpus delicti was a very strong point in favor of the defendants." Sidney Sheldon; The Other Side of Midnight; HarperCollins; 2010. |
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