[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

criminal \crim"inal\ kr?m"?-nal, a. l. criminalis, fr.
   crimen: cf. f. criminel. see crime.
   1. guilty of crime or sin.
      1913 webster

            the neglect of any of the relative duties renders us
            criminal in the sight of god.         --rogers.
      1913 webster

   2. involving a crime; of the nature of a crime; -- said of an
      act or of conduct; as, criminal carelessness.
      1913 webster

            foppish and fantastic ornaments are only indications
            of vice, not criminal in themselves.  --addison.
      1913 webster

   3. relating to crime; -- opposed to civil; as, the criminal
      code.
      1913 webster

            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.
      1913 webster

   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.
      1913 webster
see also:
crime criminal action criminal conversation criminal law 

[2] : WordNet (r) 2.0

criminal conversation
     n : extramarital sex that willfully and maliciously interferes
         with marriage relations; "adultery is often cited as
         grounds for divorce" syn: adultery, fornication
see also:
adultery fornication 

[3] : Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856)

criminal conversation, crim. law. this phrase is usually employed to denote 
the crime of adultery. it is abbreviated crim. con. bac. ab. marriage, e 2; 
4 blackf. r. 157. 
     2. the remedy for criminal conversation is, by an action on the case 
for damages. that the plaintiff connived, or assented to, his wife's 
infidelity, or that he prostituted her for gain, is a complete answer to the 
action. see connivance. but the facts that the wife's character for chastity 
was bad before the plaintiff married her; that he lived with her after he 
knew of the criminal intimacy with the defendant; that he had connived at 
her intimacy with other men;, or that the plaintiff had been false to his 
wife, only go in mitigation of damages. 4 n. hamp. r. 501. 
     3. the wife cannot maintain an action for criminal conversation with 
her husband; and for this, among other reasons, because her husband, who is 
particeps criminis, must be joined with her as plaintiff. 

Conversation >> C Words
Conversation, definition of term: Conversation
conversation_pag1.html

Criminal >> C Words
Criminal, definition of term: Criminal
criminal_pag1.html

Criminal Law >> C Words
Criminal Law, definition of term: Criminal Law
criminal+law_pag1.html

Criminal Conver >> C Words
Criminal Conver, definition of term: Criminal Conver
criminal+conver_pag1.html

Criminal Court >> C Words
Criminal Court, definition of term: Criminal Court
criminal+court_pag1.html