A serious crime, such as murder or robbery, that is more severe than a minor offense and usually punished by more than a year in prison.
From Old French “felonie” meaning “evil deed, wickedness,” from “felon” meaning “villain, cruel person,” perhaps from Medieval Latin “fellon-” meaning “wicked person.” It shifted from describing wicked character to serious crimes in law.
“Felony” started as a word for deep wickedness, not just a legal category. Modern law turned that moral judgment into a technical line: cross it, and you’re in the territory of society’s most serious offenses.
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