first degree

1 of 2

noun

US : the level of a crime that is the most serious and warranting the most severe punishment

first-degree

2 of 2

adjective

first-de·​gree ˈfərst-di-ˈgrē 

1

US : of the most serious type : warranting the harshest punishment

first-degree murder/theft/arson

2

: of the least harmful or mildest type

first-degree frostbite

see also first-degree burn

Examples of first degree in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Along with first degree murder, a jury in Arapahoe County also found the dentist guilty on five other counts, including solicitation to commit tampering with evidence, solicitation to commit perjury and solicitation to commit murder, per the outlet. —Kirsty Hatcher, People.com, 31 July 2025

Dozier was convicted of first degree murder earlier this year. —Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 31 July 2025

Adjective

Following Aria’s death in the pre-dawn hours of June 27, the sheriff’s office filed an arrest warrant under a first-degree murder charge. —Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 15 Aug. 2025

Police said the man was booked into the Maguire Correctional Facility in Redwood City on charges including first-degree robbery, grand theft and felon in possession of a firearm. —Jason Green, Mercury News, 15 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1682, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1851, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for first degree

• agree
• allee
• banshee
• beastly
• bibi
• bowsprit
• carefree
• cerci
• chablis
• cowpea
• crappie
• crappy

Medical Definition

first-degree

adjective

ˈfərst-di-ˈgrē 

: of the lowest or mildest in a series of categories : characterized by or causing the least harmful level of injury

a first-degree laceration

see also first-degree burn compare second-degree, third-degree

Legal Definition

first degree

noun

: the grade given to the most serious forms of crimes

burglary in the first degree

first-degree adjective