Perpetrate (/ˈpɜːpətreɪt/) is a verb that means to commit or carry out a harmful or illegal act. The word is spelled with the letter 'e' before the letter 't'. This is because of the Latin root 'perpetrare' where the letter 'e' represents the first syllable of the word. The sound of the letter 'a' is modified by the letter 'e', resulting in the long vowel sound 'ei' as in 'bay'. The phonetic transcription of 'perpetrate' is /ˈpɜːpətreɪt/.
Perpetrate is a verb that refers to the act of carrying out or committing a harmful, illegal, or immoral action or deed. It involves the deliberate engagement in an action that is typically regarded as negative, illicit, or unethical.
The term is often used in reference to crimes, such as fraud, robbery, murder, or any other offense against the law. In this context, perpetrate signifies the actual execution of the criminal act. It emphasizes the intentional nature of the action, indicating that the person responsible consciously chose to engage in the illicit behavior, rather than it being accidental or unintentional.
However, perpetrate is not limited to criminal activities alone. It can also encompass other activities that are considered morally or ethically wrong, such as deceit, betrayal, or abuse. When a person perpetrates an immoral act, it suggests that they have intentionally carried out a wrongful action, disregarding the consequences and the impact it may have on others.
Overall, perpetrate is a verb that reflects the deliberate and conscious involvement in actions that are illegal, harmful, immoral, or against established values and principles. It implies intentionality, culpability, and a willingness to engage in activities that are socially, morally, or legally unacceptable.
To commit or perform, always used to express an evil act.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "perpetrate" originated from the Latin word "perpetrare", which means "to carry out, accomplish, or commit". It is derived from the combination of the prefix "per-" (meaning "through" or "thoroughly") and the verb "patrare" (meaning "to bring about or accomplish"). Over time, "perpetrare" evolved into the Old French word "perpetrer", which eventually entered the English language as "perpetrate" in the late 16th century.