misdemeanor

[ mis-di-mee-ner ]
See synonyms for misdemeanor on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. Law. a criminal offense defined as less serious than a felony.

  2. an instance of misbehavior; misdeed.

Origin of misdemeanor

1
First recorded in 1480–90; mis-1 + demeanor
  • Also especially British, mis·de·mean·our .

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use misdemeanor in a sentence

  • No longer, for the moment, were the captains heavy crimes and misdemeanors held against him.

    Cursed | George Allan England
  • He was accused of high treason, in endeavoring to subvert the fundamental laws, and of other high crimes and misdemeanors.

  • Our country lyceum formed itself into a mock court, and tried King Alcohol for various crimes and misdemeanors.

  • Gentlemen of the Jury, they committed "misdemeanors," they "obstructed officers," they resisted the process of despotism!

  • The Stamp Act only taxed commercial and legal documents; the fugitive slave bill makes our words misdemeanors.

Cultural definitions for misdemeanor

misdemeanor

[ (mis-di-mee-nuhr) ]


A minor crime, punishable by a fine or a light jail term. Common misdemeanors, such as traffic violations, are usually dealt with informally, without a trial. (Compare felony.)

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.