Other forms: accomplices
An accomplice is somebody who helps another person commit a crime. An accomplice to murder, arrested with an accomplice, acted without an accomplice.
In law, an accomplice can be convicted of the same offence as the principal even without doing the act — the doctrine of joint enterprise, which is contested in England for exactly that reason. Accessory is the related term and covers helping before or after the crime. Note that accomplice implies participation rather than mere knowledge, and that the distinction decides real sentences.
1nounaccompliceSomebody who helps another commit a crime.
“The thief's accomplice waited outside in the getaway car.”
accomplice is a partner in crime.
Latin complicare means to fold together — com- plus plicare, to fold, the same verb as in complicated and duplicate. An accomplice is folded in with the criminal, and the initial a probably came from the a of a complice.
Proto-Indo-European
*pleḱ-
Latin
complicō — fold together
Old French
complice — confederate
Middle English
complice
English, today
accomplice
First attested in 1550. From a complice, from Middle English complice, from Old French complice (“confederate”), from Latin complicō (“fold together”). The article a became part of the word, through the influence of the word accomplish.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA