felony — A serious crime, typically punishable by imprisonment for more than one year or by death
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: A serious crime, typically punishable by imprisonment for more than one year or by death
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈfeləni/
Example Sentences
- The hacker's data breach was upgraded from a misdemeanor to a felony when they discovered he stole millions of credit card numbers.
- My neighbor thinks not returning a borrowed lawnmower is a felony, but I'm pretty sure it's just being forgetful.
- After his felony conviction, he struggled to find employment and had to work hard to rebuild his life.
felony
NOUN[/ˈfeləni/]
A serious crime, typically punishable by imprisonment for more than one year or by death
A serious crime, typically punishable by imprisonment for more than one year or by death
A felony destroys the colony's harmony.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Felony derives from Medieval Latin felonia, meaning 'betrayal' or 'wickedness.' Originally used in feudal contexts to denote a vassal's betrayal of their lord, the term gradually expanded to encompass serious crimes in general.
Breakdown
Medieval Latin felonia (betrayal, wickedness) → English felony (serious crime). The suffix -y converts the Latin noun into an English legal term denoting a category of major criminal offense.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The hacker's data breach was upgraded from a misdemeanor to a felony when they discovered he stole millions of credit card numbers.”
“My neighbor thinks not returning a borrowed lawnmower is a felony, but I'm pretty sure it's just being forgetful.”
“After his felony conviction, he struggled to find employment and had to work hard to rebuild his life.”
“She joked that eating the last slice of pizza should be classified as a felony in their household.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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