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Definition of felony

felony

/ˈfɛl.ə.ni/
fel · o · ny
Adverb:feloniously
•
Plural:felonies
•
Adjective:felonious
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felony Lexical Profile

felony Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A serious criminal offense in common law jurisdictions, typically punishable by imprisonment for more than one year or by death.

Example

"Because the value of the stolen artwork exceeded the statutory threshold, the prosecutor charged the suspect with a felony rather than a misdemeanor."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for felony
Antonyms
View all antonyms for felony

Word Nuance & Usage

In criminal law, a felony is a serious offense typically punishable by more than one year in prison, whereas a misdemeanor is a lesser offense punishable by fines or up to one year in a local jail.

• Rhymes for felony

• Nearby Words

felon
felonious
feloniously
felony
felt
felting
fema

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed into Middle English in the late 13th century from Old French 'felonie' (wickedness, treachery, crime), derived from Medieval Latin 'fellonia', originally referring to a breach of feudal trust between a lord and vassal.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Felony. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/felony
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