fault

Definition

Culpability; the responsibility for a blameworthy event.

Etymology

From Middle English faute, faulte, from Anglo-Norman faute, Old French faute, from Vulgar Latin *fallita (“shortcoming”), feminine of *fallitus, in place of Latin falsus, perfect passive participle of fallō (“deceive”). Displaced native Middle English schuld, schuild (“fault”) (from Old English scyld (“fault”)), Middle English lac (“fault, lack”) (from Middle Dutch lak (“lack, fault”)), Middle English last (“fault, vice”) (from Old Norse lǫstr (“fault, vice, crime”)). Compare French faute (“fault, foul”), Portuguese falta (“lack, shortage”) and Spanish falta (“lack, absence”). More at fail, false.

Example Sentences

• "No, don't blame yourself. It's my fault that we lost the game."
• "I told them the pie was still too hot. If they burn their tongues, that's their fault."
• "The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, / But in ourselves, that we are underlings."

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