felon

1
[ fel-uhn ]
See synonyms for felon on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. Law. a person who has been convicted of a felony, such as grand theft, kidnapping, or murder.

  2. Archaic. a wicked person.

adjective
  1. Archaic. wicked; malicious; treacherous.

Origin of felon

1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English fel(o)un “wicked, wicked person, evildoer,” from Old French fel (nominative), felun (oblique) “wicked person, traitor,” from Medieval Latin fellon- , stem of fello “villain, evildoer”; further etymology uncertain

usage note For felon

Terms such as felon, convict, inmate, and offender can be dehumanizing to people in the criminal justice system. The stigma of these categories often follows people after their release from prison, and contributes to difficulty reintegrating into society. Because of this, it is often better to use language that centers the specific experiences of a person or group, rather than using a label: People who have been incarcerated may have problems accessing quality healthcare, rather than Felons may have problems accessing quality healthcare. Some individuals who have been imprisoned or convicted of a crime, however, might use these labels to describe themselves. It is always best to respect a person's self-designation when referring to them.

Words Nearby felon

Other definitions for felon (2 of 2)

felon2
[ fel-uhn ]

noun
  1. an acute and painful inflammation of the deeper tissues of a finger or toe, usually near the nail: a form of whitlow.

Origin of felon

2
1375–1425; late Middle English felo(u)n<Medieval Latin fellōn- (stem of fellō) scrofulous tumor, of uncertain origin

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use felon in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for felon (1 of 2)

felon1

/ (ˈfɛlən) /


noun
  1. criminal law (formerly) a person who has committed a felony

  2. obsolete a wicked person

adjective
  1. archaic, or poetic evil; cruel

Origin of felon

1
C13: from Old French: villain, from Medieval Latin fellō, of uncertain origin

British Dictionary definitions for felon (2 of 2)

felon2

/ (ˈfɛlən) /


noun
  1. a purulent inflammation of the end joint of a finger, sometimes affecting the bone

Origin of felon

2
C12: from Medieval Latin fellō sore, perhaps from Latin fel poison

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