nullum crimen

noun

A foundational principle dictating that a person cannot be prosecuted or punished for an act unless that specific conduct was explicitly defined as a crime by law before it was committed.

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Meanings

noun
  1. criminal lawA foundational principle dictating that a person cannot be prosecuted or punished for an act unless that specific conduct was explicitly defined as a crime by law before it was committed.

Origin

Latin.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

nullum crimen. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nullum%20crimen

MLA

“nullum crimen.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nullum%20crimen. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “nullum crimen,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nullum%20crimen.

Source: nullum crimen on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.