felony

[ fel-uh-nee ]

/ ˈfɛl ə ni /

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See synonyms for felony on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural fel·o·nies.Law.

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.

Early English Law. any crime punishable by death or mutilation and forfeiture of lands and goods.

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Origin of felony

1250–1300; Middle English felonie<Anglo-French, Old French: villainy, a felony. See felon¹, -y³

Words nearby felony

felly, felo-de-se, felon, felonious, felonry, felony, felony murder, felsic, felsite, felspar, felspathic

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use felony in a sentence

Election officials are required by law to periodically update their records, removing individuals who have moved away, died or been newly convicted of a felony.
ProPublica’s Pandemic Guide to Making Sure Your Vote Counts|by Susie Armitage|September 16, 2020|ProPublica
Proposition 20 would allow prosecutors to charge certain non-violent offenses as a felony and would establish new types of crimes, making it harder for those people to qualify for early release.
Morning Report: The Dreaded Purple Tier|Voice of San Diego|September 16, 2020|Voice of San Diego
It wasn’t, and their armed display resulted in felony charges.
How an overload of riot porn is driving conflict in the streets|Bobbie Johnson|September 3, 2020|MIT Technology Review
Sullivan is charged with obstruction of justice and failing to report his knowledge of a felony.
Ex-Uber security chief accused of covering up hacking|Verne Kopytoff|August 20, 2020|Fortune

With the racial disparities in the prosecution of felonies coming increasingly under fire, 13 states now prohibit private employers from asking about criminal history, according to the National Employment Law Project.
Please avoid this biased hiring practice during the economic recovery|Sara Nadel|July 14, 2020|Quartz
There is no requirement for a member of Congress to resign after pleading guilty to a felony.
The Felon Who Wouldn’t Leave Congress|Ben Jacobs, David Freedlander|December 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Beebe was arrested in January 2006 and charged with two counts of felony rape.
I Was Gang Raped at a UVA Frat 30 Years Ago, and No One Did Anything|Liz Seccuro|December 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The crime stats for the 5th Precinct took an uptick as Linsker was booked on charges that included felony assault.
Protesters Slimed This Good Samaritan Cop|Michael Daly|December 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Today it would be considered a felony, classifying him as a “two-timer” and therefore ineligible for special release.
A Million Ways to Die in Prison|Daniel Genis|December 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
If this were accurate, it would mean that the Wilson stopped Brown over a minor offense, not a felony.
Why Darren Wilson Will Walk|Dean Obeidallah|November 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The judge reserved the case till he could determine whether the crime was felony or only a misdemeanor.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell
In 1434 the Legislature enacted that the making of gold or silver should be treated as a felony.
Witch, Warlock, and Magician|William Henry Davenport Adams
The pro-slavery Legislature made it a felony to circulate anti-slavery publications, or to deny the right to hold slaves.
A History of the Nineteenth Century, Year by Year|Edwin Emerson
Poaching is not yet made felony; but there is no saying how soon it may be made so, if the crime be persisted in.
The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction,|Various
Subsequent to the passing of the Act of 1586 the method of execution would have been that for felony.
Irish Witchcraft and Demonology|St. John D. (St. John Drelincourt) Seymour

British Dictionary definitions for felony

felony

/ (ˈfɛlənɪ) /

noun plural -nies

(formerly) a serious crime, such as murder or arson. All distinctions between felony and misdemeanour were abolished in England and Wales in 1967

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

Cultural definitions for felony

felony

[ (fel-uh-nee) ]

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.

felony

Origin of felony

Words nearby felony

Words related to felony

How to use felony in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for felony

Cultural definitions for felony