felon Meaning & Definition
What Does Felon Mean?
Felon is an adjective that means Of a person or animal, their actions, thoughts, etc.: brutal, cruel, harsh, heartless; also, evil, wicked. It can also mean Of a place: harsh, savage, wild; of a thing: deadly; harmful. As a noun, it means A person who has committed a felony (“a serious criminal offence”); specifically, one who has been tried and convicted of such a crime. As a noun, it means A small infected sore; an abscess, a boil. A whitlow (“infection near or under a fingernail or toenail”).
Felon: Key Facts
| Part of speech | adjective, noun |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈfɛlən/ |
| Synonyms | malefactor, criminal and crook |
| Plural | felons |
Felon Definition (Adjective)
- Of a person or animal, their actions, thoughts, etc.: brutal, cruel, harsh, heartless; also, evil, wicked.
- Of a place: harsh, savage, wild; of a thing: deadly; harmful.
- Obtained through a felony; stolen.
Felon as a Noun
- A person who has committed a felony (“a serious criminal offence”); specifically, one who has been tried and convicted of such a crime.
- An evil or wicked person.
- A predatory animal regarded as cruel or wicked.
Noun
- A small infected sore; an abscess, a boil. A whitlow (“infection near or under a fingernail or toenail”).
- A whitlow (“infection near or under a fingernail or toenail”).
Noun
- A person who has committed a felony.
- A person who has been tried and convicted of a felony.
- A wicked person.
Adjective
- Wicked; cruel
Noun
- A bacterial infection at the end of a finger or toe.
Synonyms of Felon
Felon synonyms and antonyms →Word Forms & Grammar
felon
felon (plural felons)
Words That Rhyme With Felon
Origin of Felon
Origin 1: The adjective is derived from Middle English feloun, felun (“base, wicked; hostile; of an animal: dangerous; of words: angry, harsh, slanderous; of things: dangerous, deadly; false, fraudulent; unlucky”) [and other forms],[1] from Old French felon (“bad, evil, immoral”) (compare fel (“evil; despicable, vile”)), from Early Medieval Latin fellōnem; further etymology uncertain.
Origin 2: Doublet of fell (“of a strong and cruel nature; fierce; grim; ruthless, savage”).
Origin 3: Etymology 1, adjective sense 3 (“obtained through a felony”) is derived from the noun.
Origin 4: The noun is derived from Middle English feloun, felun (“criminal, specifically one who has committed a felony, felon; cruel, hostile, violent, etc., person; deceiver; evildoer, monster, sinner; traitor; bold or fierce warrior; deceit, falseness; wickedness, wrongdoing; treachery”) [and other forms],[2] from feloun, felun (adjective): see above.
Questions People Ask About Felon
Is felon an adjective or a noun?
Felon is mainly used as an adjective, but it can also be used as a noun.
What is another word for felon?
Close synonyms of felon are malefactor, criminal and crook. See the full list of felon synonyms and antonyms.
What is the plural of felon?
The plural of felon is felons.