felony

American  

[fel-uh-nee] / ˈfɛl ə ni /

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.

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felony British  

/ 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

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felony Cultural  

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.

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Etymology

Origin of felony

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

Example Sentences

California law already makes it a felony to knowingly file a fake lien.

From Los Angeles Times

Arredondo faces 10 felony counts for allegedly delaying the official response.

From Barron's

With assistance from the community, detectives later identified the toddler and his biological parents, prompting them to take Slaughter into custody on an unspecified felony charge.

From Los Angeles Times

Because the case was tried in civil court, Lopez does not meet the legal threshold to be automatically removed from the council — which would require him to be convicted of a criminal felony.

From Los Angeles Times

But they convicted her on the felony charge of obstructing federal agents who were trying to make an immigration arrest.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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