accused
UK[əˈkjuːzd]US[əˈkjuzd]
adj
Charged with a crime or offense.
n
A person or group charged with a crime or on trial for it.
Morpheme Breakdown
ac
cuse
d
ac
to, towards
cuse
charge, blame
d
suffix
Etymology
The word 'accused' originates from the Latin verb 'accusare', meaning 'to call to account, blame, reproach'. This verb itself is a compound of 'ad-' (to, towards) and 'causari' (to give as a reason, to plead a case), derived from 'causa' (a cause, reason, or lawsuit). The term entered English via Old French 'acuser', carrying the legal sense of formally charging someone with wrongdoing. The modern participial form 'accused' functions both as an adjective describing the state of being formally charged and as a noun denoting the individual in that legal position, directly preserving the core concept of being called to answer a formal charge.
Analysis
Structure: ac (to, towards) + cuse (charge, blame) + d (suffix)
- ac: Latin prefix 'ad-', meaning 'to, towards'. Assimilated to 'ac-' before 'c'.
- cuse: From Latin root 'causa', meaning 'reason, cause, lawsuit, blame'. The spelling evolved to 'cuse' in English.
- d: A suffix representing the past participle ending '-ed', forming a participial adjective or noun.
Examples
The accused man pleaded not guilty in the courtroom.
The rights of the accused must be protected throughout the legal process.
She was accused of breaking the company's confidentiality agreement.