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Criminal Law & Justice vocabulary · Crimes & Offences

Felony

Meaning in criminal law & justice, with examples

/ˈfeləni/nounCommon term

In criminal law & justice, felony means: In the US, a serious crime such as murder, robbery or burglary, usually punishable by more than one year in prison; less serious crimes are misdemeanors.

In Turkish: ağır suç, cürüm (eski terim)

How it is used

Mainly American: 'a felony charge', 'convicted of a felony', 'felony conviction'. A person with a felony conviction is a 'felon' and may lose certain rights. England and Wales abolished the felony and misdemeanour distinction in 1967, so British texts speak of 'indictable' and 'summary' offences instead.

Example sentences

  1. Possession of a stolen gun is a felony in that state.

  2. He has two felony convictions and several misdemeanors.

Common collocations

  • felony charge
  • convicted of a felony
  • felony conviction
  • commit a felony
  • offenceA formal word for an illegal act that the law punishes, from minor ones such as speeding to serious ones such as robbery.
  • crimeAn act that breaks the criminal law and can be punished by the state, for example with a fine or prison; used without an article, it also means illegal activity in general.
  • criminal recordAn official list of the crimes a person has been convicted of, which employers or authorities may check in some situations.
  • indictmentA formal written accusation that a person has committed one or more serious crimes, which starts the case against them in a criminal court.

More terms: Crimes & Offences

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not legal advice.