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

Homicide detectives secured a warrant for the woman’s husband, William Elwood Simmons, 80, for first degree murder, OCSO said Sunday. —Elainie Barraza, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Feb. 2026

We, the jury find the defendant Maxwell Anderson guilty of first degree, intentional homicide … Guilty of mutilating a corpse. —Lauren A. White, CBS News, 22 Feb. 2026

Adjective

Former Major League Baseball pitcher Dan Serafini was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole Friday for the 2021 first-degree murder of his father-in-law and attempted murder of his mother-in-law in Lake Tahoe. —Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2026

Under Maryland law, first-degree felony murder applies when a death occurs during the commission of certain crimes, such as robbery, regardless of whether the suspect intended to kill. —John Romero, Baltimore Sun, 28 Feb. 2026

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