sci·en·ter /sī-'en-tər/ n [Latin, knowingly, from scient- sciens, present participle of scire to know]
1: knowledge of the nature of one's act or omission or of the nature of something in one's possession that is often a necessary element of an offense
the scienter element constitutionally required for an obscenity statute — Wall Dist. v. Newport News, 323 S.E.2d 75 (1984); also: intent to engage in particular esp. criminal conduct
a few environmental statutes...do away altogether with the need to prove scienter...requiring no proof of criminal intent whatsoever — R. J. Kafin et al.
2: a mental state in fraud (as securities fraud) that is characterized by an intent to deceive, manipulate, or defraud
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam-Webster. 1996.