felony

play

noun fel·o·ny \ˈfe-lə-nē\

Definition of felony

plural

felonies

1 : an act on the part of a feudal vassal (see vassal 1) involving the forfeiture of his fee
2a : a grave crime formerly differing from a misdemeanor (see misdemeanor 1) under English common law by involving forfeiture in addition to any other punishmentb : a grave crime (such as murder or rape) declared to be a felony by the common law or by statute regardless of the punishment actually imposedc : a crime declared a felony by statute because of the punishment imposedd : a crime for which the punishment in federal law may be death or imprisonment for more than one year

See felony defined for English-language learners

See felony defined for kids

Examples of felony in a Sentence

The crime is considered a felony under state law.
He was convicted of felony murder.

Recent Examples of felony from the Web

The highway patrol had recommended 68 felony charges and 514 misdemeanors.

— Washington Post, "White nationalist, opponent charged in Sacramento melee," 19 July 2017
But police secured felony charges, including aggravated fleeing and eluding and unlawful use of a weapon.

— hannah leone, chicagotribune.com, "LaSalle jail suicide highlights complexity of screening inmates for mental illness," 18 July 2017
Then Carlos applied to renew his security license with the state, and the background check flagged him for a felony charge.

— alden woods, azcentral, "'Here for the eviction': More renters forced from homes as affordable-housing crisis deepens," 16 July 2017
Roddy said courtroom judges had already scheduled proceedings for 150 felony cases and 450 misdemeanor cases in the new building before the opening was postponed.

— dana littlefield, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Delay for new courthouse opening creates logistical challenges," 14 July 2017
The police recorded at least 147 felony crimes in the four square blocks around East 183rd and Morris in the last year and a half, including 55 assaults.

— benjamin mueller, New York Times, "An Officer’s Death in ‘One Square Mile of Danger’," 9 July 2017
Claudia Perales, 46, of the 0-100 block of Washington Boulevard, Mundelein, was charged on June 3 with felony theft.

— rick kambic, chicagotribune.com, "Mundelein woman accused of stealing $56K in goods from Vernon Hills store," 5 July 2017
The charges are second-degree felonies and, if convicted, Wilson could face two to 20 years in state prison and up to a $10,000 fine.

— drew davison, star-telegram, "Cowboys LB Damien Wilson arrested in Frisco on aggravated assault charges," 5 July 2017
Mr. Dawkins was convicted on nine counts, including felony murder.

— alexandra alter, New York Times, "An Addict, a Confessed Killer and Now a Debut Author," 2 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'felony.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

In US law, a felony is typically defined as a crime punishable by a term of imprisonment of not less than one year or by the death penalty. Misdemeanors, in contrast, are often defined as offenses punishable only by fines or by short terms of imprisonment in local jails. Originally, in English law, a felony was a crime for which the perpetrator would suffer forfeiture of all real and personal property as well as whatever sentence was imposed. Under US law, there is no forfeiture of all of the felon’s property, and it is not part of the definition. For certain crimes, however, such as some kinds of racketeering, specific property is subject to forfeiture.

Origin and Etymology of felony

see ¹felon

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

Other Legal Terms

actionable, alienable, carceral, chattel, complicity, decedent, larceny, malfeasance, modus operandi

FELONY Defined for English Language Learners

felony

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noun

Definition of felony for English Language Learners

law : a serious crime (such as murder or rape)

FELONY Defined for Kids

felony

play

noun fel·o·ny \ˈfe-lə-nē\

Definition of felony for Students

plural

felonies

: a very serious crime

Law Dictionary

felony

play

noun fel·o·ny \ˈfe-lə-nē\

Legal Definition of felony

plural

felonies

: a crime that has a greater punishment imposed by statute than that imposed on a misdemeanor; specifically : a federal crime for which the punishment may be death or imprisonment for more than a year — see also attainder, treason

Additional Notes on felony

Originally in English law a felony was a crime for which the perpetrator would suffer forfeiture of all real and personal property as well as whatever sentence was imposed. Under U.S. law, there is no forfeiture of all of the felon's property (real or personal) and such forfeiture is not part of the definition of a felony. For certain crimes, however (as for a conviction under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act or a narcotics law), specific property, such as that used in or gained by the crime, is subject to forfeiture. Every state has its own statutory definition of a felony. Most are in line with the federal definition of a felony as a crime which carries a sentence of imprisonment for more than one year or the death penalty (where applicable). Other states, like Louisiana, define a felony as a crime which carries a sentence of death or imprisonment at hard labor.