Definition of felony
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
From the M-W Editors
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
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Prosecutors are retrying Barton on 11 felony charges involving the initial accuser.
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Warren was charged with two felonies, including reckless driving causing death.
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Here are the convictions for those offenses between 2012 and 2016, which make up a tiny slice of all felony convictions in that period: •
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He was convicted of a felony in 2014 for unauthorized use of a vehicle and was charged last year with violating his probation, according to online court records.
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Kilburn has a prior felony conviction for theft in Lake County in 2013, the release states.
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Michelle Morin was sentenced Thursday after pleading no contest to charges of conspiring to commit assault with a dangerous weapon, felony assault, and failure to report a death in the May 2015 killing of 60-year-old Domingo Ortiz, of Worcester.
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Alexander Laird, a mother and heroin addict who has been at the center of debate over the care and punishment of pregnant addicts, was arrested against last week for failure to appear in court on a felony.
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Violating FARA is a felony punishable by up to five years in prison, although legal specialists say the Justice Department rarely prosecutes that charge.
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
Other Legal Terms
FELONY Defined for English Language Learners
felony
playDefinition of felony for English Language Learners
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law : a serious crime (such as murder or rape)
FELONY Defined for Kids
felony
playDefinition of felony for Students
felonies
: a very serious crime
Law Dictionary
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.
Learn More about felony
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Spanish Central: Translation of felony Nglish: Translation of felony for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of felony for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about felony
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