felony

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. Law One of several grave crimes, such as murder, rape, or burglary, punishable by a more stringent sentence than that given for a misdemeanor.
2. n. Law Any of several crimes in early English law that were punishable by forfeiture of land or goods and by possible loss of life or a bodily part.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A wicked, foul, or treacherous act; wickedness.
2. n. Specifically.
3. n. In law:
4. n. At common law, a crime which occasions the forfeiture of land or goods, or both, and for which other punishment may be added according to the degree of guilt. It thus strictly includes treason, although the words are often used as opposed to each other.
5. n. A high crime; the highest of the principal classes into which crimes are divided by statute; a grave crime exceeding the grade of misdemeanor. The present meaning of the word varies in England, and, in the United States, in various States, forfeiture of land and goods being abolished. Thus, in New York and some other States, it includes all crimes punishable with death, or with imprisonment in a state-prison.
6. n. A body of felons.

Wiktionary

1. n. US, law A serious criminal offense, which, under federal law, is punishable by death or imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. (Feudal Law) An act on the part of the vassal which cost him his fee by forfeiture.
2. n. (O.Eng.Law) An offense which occasions a total forfeiture either lands or goods, or both, at the common law, and to which capital or other punishment may be added, according to the degree of guilt.
3. n. A heinous crime; especially, a crime punishable by death or imprisonment.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. a serious crime (such as murder or arson)