noun
felony
FEL-uh-nee/ˈfeləni/
A serious crime punishable by imprisonment or another severe penalty.
The defendant is charged with a felony.
Etymology
Built on a word for an evil-doer whose deeper origin is uncertain, felony covered wickedness and treachery as well as crime. Its legal meaning became a category of serious offenses, with boundaries varying by jurisdiction.
In context
burglary is far more serious than trespassing burglary is always a felony no matter how you cut it and you can do some serious prison time if you're convicted
More examples
- The conviction was for a serious felony.
- The statute classifies the offense as a felony.
- The report distinguished felonies from misdemeanors.
Forms
felony · felonies
felon noun — a person convicted of a felony
Similar words
- serious crime
- A general description, not an exact legal classification.
- misdemeanor
- A typically less serious legal category of offense.