felony

[fel-uh-nee]

noun

Law.

plural

felonies 

1. an offense, as murder or burglary, of graver character than those called misdemeanors, especially those commonly punished in the U.S. by imprisonment for more than a year.

2. Early English Law.,  any crime punishable by death or mutilation and forfeiture of lands and goods.

felony

/ ˈfɛlənɪ /

noun

1. (formerly) a serious crime, such as murder or arson. All distinctions between felony and misdemeanour were abolished in England and Wales in 1967

felony

1. A grave crime, such as murder, rape, or burglary, that is punishable by death (see capital offense) or imprisonment in a state or federal facility.

Word History and Origins

Origin of felony¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English felonie, from Anglo-French, Old French: “villainy”; equivalent to felon ¹ + -y ³

Example Sentences

Sanchez is being charged with a level five felony of battery involving serious bodily injury and three misdemeanors — battery resulting in injury, unauthorized entry of a motor vehicle and public intoxication.

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Los Angeles police arrested Jackson on suspicion of felony assault last month, but he was released on $50,000 bail.

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Three of the alleged attackers have been charged with felony assault and special allegations of a hate crime, prosecutors said.

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On June 8, 2023, he was indicted on 37 felony counts in federal court in Miami.

Read more on Salon

Zavala, 23, was arrested by Pasadena police on Aug. 21 and pleaded not guilty to two counts of felony assault on Aug. 25, according to court records.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• arson 
• assault 
• burglary 
• murder 
• offense 
• rape 
• robbery 
• violation 
• wrongdoing