Crim·i·nal a.
 1. Guilty of crime or sin.
    The neglect of any of the relative duties renders us criminal in the sight of God.   --Rogers.
 2. Involving a crime; of the nature of a crime; -- said of an act or of conduct; as, criminal carelessness.
    Foppish and fantastic ornaments are only indications of vice, not criminal in themselves.   --Addison.
 3. Relating to crime; -- opposed to civil; as, the criminal code.
    The officers and servants of the crown, violating the personal liberty, or other right of the subject . . . were in some cases liable to criminal process.   --Hallam.
 Criminal action Law, an action or suit instituted to secure conviction and punishment for a crime.
 Criminal conversation Law, unlawful intercourse with a married woman; adultery; -- usually abbreviated, crim. con.
 Criminal law, the law which relates to crimes.
 criminal conversation
      n : extramarital sex that willfully and maliciously interferes
          with marriage relations; "adultery is often cited as
          grounds for divorce" [syn: adultery, fornication]