felonious

adjective

fe·​lo·​ni·​ous fə-ˈlō-nē-əs How to pronounce felonious (audio)
1
archaic : very evil : villainous
2
: of, relating to, or having the nature of a felony
felonious assault
feloniously adverb
feloniousness noun

Examples of felonious in a Sentence

the commission found that while the senator's actions were ethically questionable, they were not felonious
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Stiles pleaded guilty in 2005 to felonious assault after he was accused of hitting and shaking his girlfriend's infant son, Carl Legget Jr., causing brain damage. Sharon Coolidge, The Enquirer, 11 Dec. 2024 In September, Myra’s grandmother, 43-year-old Mia Harris, pleaded guilty to felonious assault, and on Oct. 29 she was sentenced to nine to 12 years in prison. John Johnston, The Enquirer, 28 Nov. 2024 Adam Coy, 48, was found guilty of murder, felonious assault and reckless homicide for fatally shooting Andre Hill on Dec. 22, 2020, in the state capital of Columbus. Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 4 Nov. 2024 Besides murder, the jury also found Coy guilty of felonious assault and reckless homicide. Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for felonious 

Word History

First Known Use

1567, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of felonious was in 1567

Dictionary Entries Near felonious

Cite this Entry

“Felonious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/felonious. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Legal Definition

felonious

adjective
fe·​lo·​ni·​ous fə-ˈlō-nē-əs How to pronounce felonious (audio)
: of, relating to, or constituting a felony
felonious sale of cocaine
feloniously adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on felonious

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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