US
: the level of a crime that is the most serious and warranting the most severe punishment
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
Zachary Folk, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
This year in particular, the 9/9 portal coincides with the moon in Aries — the first sign of the zodiac — creating a balance between endings and beginnings, especially with Saturn retrograde stationed at the last degree of Pisces while Neptune retrograde journeys through the first degree of Aries.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
Jr Radcliffe, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
Shadolla Peterson pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact and received a six-year probationary sentence, while Pike's then-boyfriend Tadaryl Shipp was convicted of first-degree murder and was sentenced to life.
—Evan Mealins, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for first degree
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Noun
Judge Gregory Carro only dismissed the charges of first degree and second degree murder charges related to terrorism—allowing the third charge of second degree murder to stand.
—Zachary Folk, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
This year in particular, the 9/9 portal coincides with the moon in Aries — the first sign of the zodiac — creating a balance between endings and beginnings, especially with Saturn retrograde stationed at the last degree of Pisces while Neptune retrograde journeys through the first degree of Aries.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Gein was arraigned on a single count of first-degree murder for Worden's death.
—Jr Radcliffe, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
Shadolla Peterson pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact and received a six-year probationary sentence, while Pike's then-boyfriend Tadaryl Shipp was convicted of first-degree murder and was sentenced to life.
—Evan Mealins, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for first degree
Cite this Entry
“First degree.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/first%20degree. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
first-degree
adjective
: 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
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