English · Emotions & Feelings

guilty

ˈɡɪlti

[ˈɡɪlti]

feeling responsible for wrongdoing

Intermediateadjective

Definition

Feeling that one has done something wrong; also legally responsible.

Example

She felt guilty for forgetting his birthday.

She felt guilty for forgetting his birthday.

Etymology

From Old English 'gyltig', from 'gylt' meaning 'crime, sin'.

How & Where It’s Used

Describes both the emotion and a legal verdict.

Watch “feeling responsible for wrongdoing” pronunciation on YouTube
emotionnegative

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