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 the two counts of first degree murder, prosecutors added special circumstances of multiple murders and a special allegation that the defendant used a dangerous weapon, a knife. —Andrew Dalton, Fortune, 17 Dec. 2025

Nick Reiner, the 32-year-old son of filmmaker Rob Reiner and photographer Michele Singer Reiner, is being charged with two counts of first degree murder. —Clare Lombardo, NPR, 16 Dec. 2025

Adjective

Tyler Huntington, 30, is charged with two counts of armed criminal action, unlawful use of a weapon, and first-degree assault and is being held on a $150,000 cash-only bond. —Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 12 Dec. 2025

The swift reactions came in the aftermath of Justin Tawse Brigham, 44, being charged Thursday with statutory rape of a child, indecent liberties with a child and first-degree burglary. —Chase Jordan, Charlotte Observer, 12 Dec. 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