Dictionary
felony
noun fel·o·ny \ˈfe-lə-nē\
law : a serious crime (such as murder or rape)
plural fel·o·nies
Full Definition of FELONY
1
: an act on the part of a feudal vassal involving the forfeiture of his fee
2
a : a grave crime formerly differing from a misdemeanor under English common law by involving forfeiture in addition to any other punishment b : a grave crime declared to be a felony by the common law or by statute regardless of the punishment actually imposed c : a crime declared a felony by statute because of the punishment imposed d : a crime for which the punishment in federal law may be death or imprisonment for more than one year
See felony defined for English-language learners
See felony defined for kids
ADVERTISEMENT
First Known Use of FELONY
14th century
Other Legal Terms
FELONY Defined for Kids
felony
noun fel·o·ny \ˈfe-lə-nē\
plural fel·o·nies
Definition of FELONY for Kids
: a very serious crime
Learn More About FELONY
Browse
ADVERTISEMENT
Seen & Heard
What made you want to look up felony? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).