felony
FEL-uh-nee/ˈfɛləni/
Pluralfelonies
- 1A serious criminal offense that, under US federal law, carries a prison term of at least one year, or the death penalty for the gravest crimes.
The prosecutor charged him with a felony rather than a lesser offense.
First, as felony prosecutor, I prosecute high-level felonies including homicides; sexual assaults; child endangerings; shootings and other felonious assaults; and media cases.
2015, Kenneth J. Peak, Pamela M. EverettSimilarcrime
Oppositemisdemeanor
Note
Legal English sorts crimes by gravity, and this word names the upper tier. Its lesser counterpart is the misdemeanor, and some conduct can be charged as either. The word first meant a wicked deed, from Old French felon, "evildoer." It works freely as a modifier (felony charge, felony counts, felony prosecutor), and felonious is its adjective. In British law the term is now historical.
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Origin
From Middle English felony, from Old French felonie ("evil, immoral deed"), from felon ("evildoer"). It is ultimately of Proto-Germanic origin.