the.com/felony
the crime serious enough to follow you around like an ex with receipts
means A serious crime—like murder, robbery, or arson—that carries heavier punishment than a misdemeanor, typically more than a year in prison.
from From Old French 'felonie,' meaning wickedness or treachery, built on 'felon'—a villain, traitor, or scoundrel. That noun traces back to Medieval Latin 'fello,' of murky origin; one suggestion links it to a root for 'gall' or 'venom,' the bile of a wicked heart, though this is far from certain. In early English law a felony was specifically a crime grave enough to forfeit your lands and goods to the crown—so the word always carried the weight of betrayal and ruin baked right in.
- old roots
- From Latin meaning treachery or wickedness
- lasting cost
- Can strip voting rights for life
- high bar
- Usually means over a year of prison time
- felony murder
- You can be charged for a death you didn't cause
- sticky label
- Follows job, housing, and gun applications forever
murder — unlawful killing of a person, prosecuted as a felony in all u.s. states
armed robbery — theft using a weapon, felony in all jurisdictions with mandatory prison sentences
drug trafficking — distribution of controlled substances, federal felony carrying 5-40 year sentences depending on quantity
aggravated assault — severe physical attack with weapon or serious injury, felony in all u.s. states