second-degree

1 of 2

adjective

sec·​ond-degree ˈse-kən(d)-di-ˈgrē 

-kᵊŋ-

1

US, of a crime : of a level of seriousness that is less than first degree : warranting punishment but not the most severe punishment

second-degree assault/murder

2

: causing or characterized by a moderate level of injury

a second-degree concussion

see also second-degree burn

second degree

2 of 2

noun

US

: the level of a crime that is less than first degree and warrants less severe punishment

He was charged with assault in the second degree.

Examples of second-degree in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Grei Mendez and Felix Herrera-Garcia were both found guilty on second-degree murder charges in a Bronx courtroom Friday afternoon after a nearly three-month trial. —Jennifer Bisram, CBS News, 22 Nov. 2025

He is charged with second-degree murder and remains at Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, with bond still to be set as of Friday afternoon. —Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 21 Nov. 2025

Noun

If the jury had accepted this, some of the accused could have been convicted of second degree murder or manslaughter instead, per the Supreme Court of Canada. —Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 9 Nov. 2025

Desma Shaiann Flanders, 32, was booked into jail on Wednesday and charged with second degree murder. —Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1858, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1682, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for second-degree

• abc
• absentee
• addressee
• adoptee
• agouti
• allottee
• amphorae
• amputee
• apc
• apogee
• appointee
• assessee

Medical Definition

second-degree

adjective

: causing or characterized by a moderate level of injury

a second-degree ankle sprain

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

Legal Definition

second degree

noun

sec·​ond degree

: the grade given to the second most serious forms of crimes

assault in the second degree

second-degree adjective