felony

American  

[fel-uh-nee] / ˈfɛl ə ni /

noun

Law.

felonies plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• felonies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of felony

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

Explanation

A felony is a serious crime, like murder, arson, or burglary. Fashion critics may think that wearing white shoes after Labor Day is a felony, but it isn’t really. A felony is sometimes called a "high crime" because it's so serious. A felony differs from a misdemeanor in the amount of punishment someone gets when convicted. In the United States, a felony is a crime that has a sentence of more than a year in prison. A year or less in jail means the crime is just a misdemeanor. If you're convicted of a felony, even after you serve your time you may be denied certain rights and privileges.

Example Sentences

Violations of the law, known as the California Invasion of Privacy Act, can be prosecuted as a misdemeanor or a felony.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 9, 2026

David Hearn, 67, pleaded not guilty at the District of Columbia Superior Court following his felony indictment for allegedly causing more than $1,000 damage to the pool, which forms part of the Lincoln Memorial.

From Barron's • Jul. 9, 2026

Voting in an election when the voter is ineligible is a second-degree felony under Texas law and is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

From Salon • Jul. 7, 2026

Hearn was charged with felony destruction of property over $1,000 in the Superior Court of D.C.; he faces a sentence of 10 years in prison if convicted.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 2, 2026

His clothes are a little freaky maybe, but that’s a misdemeanor here, not a felony.

From "Speak" by Laurie Halse Anderson

Related Words

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