war crime

noun

: a crime (such as genocide or maltreatment of prisoners) committed during or in connection with war

—usually used in plural

war criminal noun

Examples of war crime in a Sentence

He was found guilty of torture and other war crimes.

Recent Examples on the Web

Ukraine and Mongolia are both signatories to the Rome Statute, which underpins the ICC and grants it jurisdiction over crimes in the categories of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and crimes of aggression. —David Brennan, ABC News, 2 Sep. 2024

Bell stressed that the torture of Ukrainian POWs constitutes a war crime. —John Bacon, USA TODAY, 9 Aug. 2024

In response to the tragedy at My Lai – and in an effort to prevent such war crimes from happening again – Borsh said the US military began embedding military legal experts into active-duty units. —Chelsea Bailey, CNN, 30 July 2024

Smith once prosecuted war crimes in Kosovo and served as an acting U.S. attorney at the DOJ. —Ashley Oliver, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 1 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1906, in the meaning defined above

Legal Definition

war crime

noun

: an act committed usually during an international war for which individual criminal liability will be imposed by a domestic or international tribunal

specifically : a violation of the laws or customs of war as embodied or recognized by international treaty, court decisions, or established practice

—usually used in pl.

Note: Following World War II, the Charter of the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg first codified war crimes including crimes against humanity. Also encompassed in the legal concept of war crimes is the crime of planning or waging a war of aggression or a war in violation of international treaties.