convict
UK[ˈkɒnvɪkt]US[ˈkɑːnvɪkt]
v
To prove or declare that someone is guilty of a crime, especially in a court of law.
n
A person who has been found guilty of a crime and is serving a prison sentence.
Morpheme Breakdown
con
vict
con
together, thoroughly
vict
to conquer
Etymology
The word "convict" originates from the Latin verb convincere, meaning "to overcome decisively, to prove wrong, to demonstrate." This verb is composed of the intensive prefix con- and vincere ("to conquer"). The legal sense emerged in Late Latin as convictus, the past participle, meaning "proven guilty." The semantic journey is one of rhetorical or evidential conquest: to be "thoroughly conquered" by evidence in argument or in court, leading to the modern meanings of being proven guilty or a person serving a sentence for such guilt.
Analysis
Structure: con (together, thoroughly) + vict (to conquer)
- con: A prefix from Latin, meaning "together, with, thoroughly." In this word, it functions as an intensifier.
- vict: A root from the Latin verb vincere, meaning "to conquer, defeat, overcome." In this word, it carries the core meaning of being overcome or proven wrong.
Examples
The jury took only three hours to convict the defendant of fraud.
After being convicted, he became a model prisoner and was released early for good behavior.
The escaped convict was apprehended at the border.