In flagrante delicto

The word group In flagranti means in the act. For example, if you catch someone having sex with another person in flagrante delicto, it means you have caught them in the act. At the moment of the event, so to speak. The origin of this expression comes from Latin, where it means, strictly speaking, in crimine flagranti. Literally, this is to be translated as while the crime is still burning, as this statement used to be uttered primarily in connection with criminal offences. In English, the term flagrante delicto is still common today when referring to criminal offences. This term can be translated as: the burning crime. During language development and with the increasingly frequent occurrence of idioms in everyday life, the term in flagrante delicto was applied to a wide variety of situations in this country. As explained by the example above, we often speak of in flagranti in connection with cheating. So if someone is in a committed relationship and the respective partner is caught cheating live, we speak of being caught in flagrante delicto. Furthermore, the term is used, for example, when someone discovers a fling between colleagues or observes a previously secret affair. In flagrante delicto can therefore be applied to almost all flings or affairs. However, the phrase is also used in other ways.

For example, one also speaks of in flagrante when it is a matter of catching a thief in the act. Furthermore, there are some synonyms that describe the term. These include:

• surprising someone (unpleasantly)
• coming across unprepared
• burst in
• to appear without an appointment
• barging in
• take someone by surprise

Instead of in flagrante delicto, one often also says: I caught him or her doing something, caught him or her, discovered him or her unexpectedly, intercepted him or her or caught him or her. In flagrante delicto and all other expressions therefore always have the total surprise effect in common. This often, though not always, refers to all those involved in an “Inflagrantie scene”.