felon
1 Americannoun
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Law. a person who has been convicted of a felony, such as grand theft, kidnapping, or murder.
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Archaic. a wicked person.
adjective
noun
noun
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criminal law (formerly) a person who has committed a felony
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obsolete a wicked person
adjective
noun
Sensitive Note
Terms such as felon, convict, inmate, and offender can be dehumanizing to people in the criminal justice system. The stigma of these categories often follows people after their release from prison, and contributes to difficulty reintegrating into society. Because of this, it is often better to use language that centers the specific experiences of a person or group, rather than using a label: People who have been incarcerated may have problems accessing quality healthcare, rather than Felons may have problems accessing quality healthcare. Some individuals who have been imprisoned or convicted of a crime, however, might use these labels to describe themselves. It is always best to respect a person's self-designation when referring to them.
Etymology
Origin of felon1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English fel(o)un “wicked, wicked person, evildoer,” from Old French fel (nominative), felun (oblique) “wicked person, traitor,” from Medieval Latin fellon- , stem of fello “villain, evildoer”; further etymology uncertain
Origin of felon2
1375–1425; late Middle English felo ( u ) n < Medieval Latin fellōn- (stem of fellō ) scrofulous tumor, of uncertain origin
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He said federal immigration agents would be required to have judicial warrants before entering homes or businesses unless they were pursuing a known felon.
From Barron's • Mar. 18, 2026
Life as an indicted felon is harsh, even if you’re abroad; you can kind of continue to live in sanctuary in Venezuela until the government changes.
From Slate • Jan. 7, 2026
Cassie Lapaseotes made a mistake that nearly made her a felon: running afoul of Nebraska’s cattle-branding rules.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 24, 2025
As a convicted felon, Broxton lost his right to possess a gun.
From Salon • Nov. 13, 2025
Madge had a felon on her finger and wasn’t good for anything and Dorcas was complaining because there was no butter for breakfast.
From "Johnny Tremain" by Esther Hoskins Forbes
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
