second-degree

1 of 2

adjective

sec·​ond-degree ˈse-kən(d)-di-ˈgrē 

-kᵊŋ-

1

US, of a crime : of a level of seriousness that is less than first degree : warranting punishment but not the most severe punishment

second-degree assault/murder

2

: causing or characterized by a moderate level of injury

a second-degree concussion

see also second-degree burn

second degree

2 of 2

noun

US

: the level of a crime that is less than first degree and warrants less severe punishment

He was charged with assault in the second degree.

Examples of second-degree in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The 34-year-old son of NBA legend Michael Jordan entered a not guilty plea for his second-degree misdemeanor DUI charge on Friday, Feb. 7, according to court documents viewed by PEOPLE. —Bailey Richards, People.com, 8 Feb. 2025

On January 16, Suffolk County police officers and Georgia law enforcement arrested Ayala, who was charged with one count of first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder. —Yash Roy, CNN, 8 Feb. 2025

Noun

Elijah Cruz Segura, 26, was convicted of second degree murder late last year for killing 24-year-old Natalia Smüt at a Milpitas home in April 2021. —Caelyn Pender, The Mercury News, 28 Jan. 2025

Cruz ran to her nearby home after stabbing Hodges, but was quickly taken into custody and charged with second degree murder. —Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 3 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1858, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1682, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

second-degree

adjective

: causing or characterized by a moderate level of injury

a second-degree ankle sprain

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

Legal Definition

second degree

noun

sec·​ond degree

: the grade given to the second most serious forms of crimes

assault in the second degree

second-degree adjective