felony
/ˈfɛləni/ noun
Forms felonies fellonie
- noun (law, criminology, US, historical in UK) A serious criminal offense, which, under United States federal law, is punishable by a term of imprisonment of not less than one year or by the death penalty in the most serious offenses.
Etymology
From Middle English felony, felonie, from Old French felonie (“evil, immoral deed”), from felon (“evildoer”). Ultimately of Proto-Germanic origin. More at felon. By surface analysis, felon + -y.
Webster’s 1913
- noun An act on the part of the vassal which cost him his fee by forfeiture. Burrill.
- noun An offense which occasions a total forfeiture either lands or goods, or both, at the common law, and to which capital or other punishment may be added, according to the degree of guilt.
Etymology [OE. felonie cruelty, OF. felonie, F. félonie treachery, malice. See Felon, n.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “felony”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details