felony
pronunciation
How to pronounce felony in British English:
UK [ˈfeləni]
How to pronounce felony in American English:
US [ˈfɛləni]
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- Noun:
- a serious crime (such as murder or arson)
Word Origin
- felony (n.)
- c. 1300, "treachery, betrayal; deceit; villainy, wickedness, sin, crime; violent temper, wrath; ruthlessness; evil intention," from Old French felonie (12c.) "wickedness, evil, treachery, perfidy, crime, cruelty, sin," from Gallo-Roman *fellonia, from fellonem "evil-doer" (see felon). As a class of crime in common law, also from c. 1300, from Anglo-French. The exact definition changed over time and place, and even the distinction from misdemeanor or trespass is not always observed. In old use often a crime involving forfeiture of lands, goods, or a fee or a crime punishable by death. Variously used in the U.S.; often the sense is "crime punishable by death or imprisonment in a state penitentiary."
Example
- 1. New mexico grocery store clerk facing two federal felony raps
- 2. Madoff later pleaded guilty to 11 felony counts and is currently in prison awaiting his sentencing .
- 3. In kentucky , writing about a fictional military attack can result in a second-degree felony charge of making terrorist threats .
- 4. If convicted of the felony charges , harran faces up to four-and-a-half years in state prison , district attorney spokeswoman jane robison says .
- 5. They charged him with 13 felony counts , including wire fraud , computer fraud and criminal forfeiture .