Spanish word

delito

Pronunciation

IPA/deˈlito/

Meaning

  • masculine nouncrime

Example

Cometer un delito es grave.

To commit a crime is serious.

Illustration for delito (crime)

More examples

Denunciar un delito ayuda a la policía.

Reporting a crime helps the police.

Core concept

Act or omission punishable under the law.

Common phrases

  • cometer un delito

    commit a crime

  • denunciar un delito

    report a crime

  • pena por un delito

    penalty for a crime

Similar words

crimen: Grave unlawful act regarded as a crime and handled by the courts.
robo: Forcibly taking property from a person, often with violence or intimidation.
hurto: Stealing property without force, usually by stealth or pickpocketing.
estafa: Fraudulent scheme to deceive someone into surrendering money or goods.

Definition in Spanish

Hecho u omisión que la ley considera ilícito y que puede ser castigado penalmente.

Word origin

Delito derives from Latin delictum, related to delinquere 'to transgress', and originally meant 'offense', now used in Spanish for acts or omissions that the law punishes.

Usage tips

  • The word delito commonly appears with the verb cometer (cometer un delito), while falta or infracción refer to minor or administrative breaches rather than criminal offenses.

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word