Meaning & use
scienter
Last updated
a legal term for a person's knowledge that their action or statement was wrongful or would cause harm.
See it in a sentence
The prosecution had to prove the defendant acted with scienter.
Fraud claims typically require showing scienter on the part of the accused.
A note on using this word
Scienter is a specialized legal term rarely used outside courtrooms or legal writing, and it specifically refers to guilty knowledge rather than mere carelessness.
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