felony
C1Formal / Legal
Definition
Meaning
A serious crime, typically one punishable by imprisonment for more than one year or by death.
In legal contexts, a formal classification of serious criminal offense; outside legal contexts, used metaphorically to denote an act considered shockingly wrong or a serious breach of conduct.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a technical term in criminal law. Its non-legal use is often hyperbolic or humorous, indicating a severe transgression of social norms.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is used in the legal systems of both regions, but the specific classification and penalties can differ. In the UK, 'felony' was formally replaced by 'indictable offence' in 1967, though the term persists in historical and some common usage. In the US, it remains a core, active legal classification.
Connotations
In the US, it carries strong, immediate legal weight. In the UK, it may sound slightly archaic or more associated with historical or American contexts.
Frequency
Substantially more frequent in American English due to its active legal status.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
to commit a felonyto be charged with a felonyto convict someone of a felonyto plead guilty to a felonya felony involving [noun]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “It's a felony waiting to happen.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in compliance/legal departments: 'The insider trading scheme constituted a felony.'
Academic
Used in law, criminology, and history papers: 'The study examined recidivism rates for non-violent felonies.'
Everyday
Hyperbolic/metaphorical use: 'Forgetting our anniversary is practically a felony in her book.'
Technical
Core term in criminal law: 'The defendant is charged with felony burglary in the first degree.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- (No standard verb form; 'felon' is a noun)
American English
- (No standard verb form; the action is 'to commit a felony')
adverb
British English
- (No standard adverbial form)
American English
- (No standard adverbial form)
adjective
British English
- He faced felony charges.
- The felony case was heard at the Crown Court.
American English
- She has a felony record.
- He was convicted on felony counts.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- (Not typically introduced at A2)
- Stealing a car is a very serious crime.
- In films, robbers often commit big crimes.
- The prosecutor argued that the fraud amounted to a felony.
- A felony conviction can make it hard to find a job.
- The legislation reclassified certain drug possession offences from felonies to misdemeanours.
- His plea bargain reduced the charge from a felony to a lesser offence.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'FELL on the enemy' – a very serious, attack-like crime.
Conceptual Metaphor
CRIME IS A DISEASE (a felony is a cancer on society), A SERIOUS BREACH IS A FELONY (e.g., 'That bad pass was a felony against football').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not directly translate as 'фелония' – it is not a standard Russian legal term. Use 'тяжкое преступление' for the core meaning.
- Beware of false friend 'фельетон' (feuilleton), which is a literary genre.
Common Mistakes
- Using it interchangeably with any crime (it's for serious ones).
- Confusing 'felony' and 'misdemeanour'.
- Incorrect spelling: 'fellony', 'felonie'.
Practice
Quiz
In modern British legal terminology, the closest equivalent to 'felony' is:
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The primary distinction is severity. A felony is a serious crime (e.g., murder, arson) with typically more than a year of imprisonment. A misdemeanour is a less serious crime (e.g., minor theft, public disturbance) with usually less than a year of jail time.
Yes, but it's often hyperbolic or humorous. Saying 'Eating the last biscuit is a felony in this office' exaggerates a minor misdeed to comedic effect.
No. A 'felony' is the crime. A 'felon' is a person who has been convicted of a felony.
No. It is a hallmark of common law systems, most prominently in the United States. Many other legal systems (e.g., in continental Europe) use different classifications like 'crimes', 'delits', and 'contraventions'.