Ma'anar ƙamus na "laifi" shine yanayi ko yanayin zama mai laifi, wanda shine aikata wani laifi ko laifi. Hakanan yana iya komawa ga nadama ko alhakin aikata wani abu ba daidai ba ko na rashin yin wani abu da ya kamata mutum ya yi. A cikin sharuddan shari'a, laifi yana nufin yanayin kasancewa da alhakin wani laifi ko laifi bisa doka.
