word
Legal
Latin
actus reus
AK-tus RAY-us
ˈæktəs ˈreɪəsListen
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Syllable breakdown
actusreus
Sounds like
Say 'AK-tus RAY-us'.
Dictionary meaning
The physical act of a crime, as opposed to the mental state (mens rea).
History and origin
Latin — 'guilty act'.
Examples
- Without proving actus reus, the prosecution cannot establish that the crime was physically committed.
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