FELONY

noun (plural -nies) Date: 14th century an act on the part of a feudal vassal involving the forfeiture of his fee, 2. a grave crime formerly differing from a misdemeanor under English common law by involving forfeiture in addition to any other punishment, a grave crime declared to be a ~ by the common law or by statute regardless of the punishment actually imposed, a crime declared a ~ by statute because of the punishment imposed, a crime for which the punishment in federal law may be death or imprisonment for more than one year