Meanings
alternative crimenetly · alternative criminetly
- USAn expression of annoyance or surprise
"Criminently," said Crumley. "Look at the mob."
1985, Ray Bradbury, Death is a Lonely Business, page 1982 more examples
"Criminently!" Bean's voice rang out so that all the listening room could hear him. "They's baout thutty slant-eyed rats in hyar […]"
1946, Odell Shepard, Holdfast Gaines, page 343I wanta take a look at the stars! JOE [astonished]: At the stars! Criminently! Is that all?
2005, Tennessee Williams, “The Big Game”, in Mister Paradise and other one-act plays, page 101
Origin
Probably formed by infixation of nonsense syllables into criminy.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
criminently. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/criminently
“criminently.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/criminently. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “criminently,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/criminently.
Source: criminently on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.