mea culpa
noun
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Mea culpa means "through my fault" in Latin. Said by itself, it's an exclamation of apology or remorse that is used to mean "It was my fault" or "I apologize." Mea culpa is also a noun, however. A newspaper might issue a mea culpa for printing inaccurate information, or a politician might give a speech making mea culpas for past wrongdoings. Mea culpa is one of many English terms that come from the Latin culpa, meaning "guilt." Some other examples are culpable ("meriting condemnation or blame especially as wrong or harmful"), culprit ("one guilty of a crime or a fault"), and exculpate ("to clear from alleged fault or guilt").
Examples of mea culpa in a Sentence
Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 22 May 2026
And, by extension, why Almodóvar was so motivated to conceive of this unapologetic mea culpa.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 19 May 2026
Coming Up Carbs In a third act mea culpa that feels reminiscent of Andy and Nate’s makeup from the first film, Emily apologizes to Andy for her latest round of workplace indiscretions.
—Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 1 May 2026
The mea culpa was well-received by the trio and underscored Cora’s ability to smooth over even the most awkward situations.
—Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for mea culpa
Cite this Entry
“Mea culpa.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mea%20culpa. Accessed 29 May. 2026.
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