felonious

[fuh-loh-nee-uh s]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR felonious ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

Law. pertaining to, of the nature of, or involving a felony: felonious homicide; felonious intent.

wicked; base; villainous.

Nearby words

Origin of felonious

1375–1425; felony + -ous; replacing late Middle English felonous < Anglo-French, Old French

Related forms

fe·lo·ni·ous·ly, adverbfe·lo·ni·ous·ness, nounnon·fe·lo·ni·ous, adjectivenon·fe·lo·ni·ous·ly, adverb

non·fe·lo·ni·ous·ness, nounun·fe·lo·ni·ous, adjectiveun·fe·lo·ni·ous·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for felonious

The focus is on the felonious, or nearly so, but some ladies aren't above cataloging bad breath and B.O.
Online Dating Just Got Weirder|Laura Van Straaten|February 13, 2009|DAILY BEAST
The taking must be felonious—that is, taking with a wrongful intent to appropriate the goods of another.
Trial of the Officers and Crew of the Privateer Savannah, on the Charge of Piracy, in the United States Circuit Court for the Southern District of New York|A. F. Warburton
It is of three kinds: felonious, justifiable, and excusable.
The Government Class Book|Andrew W. Young
She expressed her willingness to give up all that she retained, but asserted her innocence of any felonious intention.
The Chronicles of Crime or The New Newgate Calendar. v. 2/2|Camden Pelham

Upon it had been prepared the felonious meals, by it he had smoked the pipe of peace with the false friend.
Neighbors|Jacob A. Riis
In defending his person in case of a felonious assault, he may lawfully take the life of his assailant.
The Government Class Book|Andrew W. Young

British Dictionary definitions for felonious

felonious

adjective

criminal law of, involving, or constituting a felony

obsolete wicked; base

Derived Formsfeloniously, adverbfeloniousness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for felonious

felonious

adj.

mid-15c. (implied in feloniously), from felony + -ous. Replaced felonous (mid-14c.) by c.1600. Felonly (c.1300) was another variation.

felonious

adjective

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of felonious

Examples from the Web for felonious

felonious

adjective

felonious