first degree

1 of 2

noun

US : the level of a crime that is the most serious and warranting the most severe punishment

first-degree

2 of 2

adjective

first-de·​gree ˈfərst-di-ˈgrē 

1

US : of the most serious type : warranting the harshest punishment

first-degree murder/theft/arson

2

: of the least harmful or mildest type

first-degree frostbite

see also first-degree burn

Examples of first degree in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Berg started filming this new episode in early 2021 and was on-hand when a Baltimore judge vacated Syed’s first degree-murder conviction and ordered his release from prison in September 2022. —Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 3 Sep. 2025

Aaron Michael Perez-Engel, 38, has been charged with armed criminal action and first degree assault. —Noelle Alviz-Gransee, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2025

Adjective

Lawson faces 10 to 40 years or life in prison on the first-degree murder charge. —Arkansas Online, 5 Sep. 2025

Bucur was charged with first-degree burglary and unlawful possession of methamphetamine, with his bail set at $75,000, police said. —Greg Norman, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1682, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1851, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for first degree

• agree
• allee
• banshee
• beastly
• bibi
• bowsprit
• carefree
• cerci
• chablis
• cowpea
• crappie
• crappy

Medical Definition

first-degree

adjective

ˈfərst-di-ˈgrē 

: of the lowest or mildest in a series of categories : characterized by or causing the least harmful level of injury

a first-degree laceration

see also first-degree burn compare second-degree, third-degree

Legal Definition

first degree

noun

: the grade given to the most serious forms of crimes

burglary in the first degree

first-degree adjective