felon

¹

[ fel-uhn ]

noun

1. Law. a person who has been convicted of a felony, such as grand theft, kidnapping, or murder.
2. Archaic. a wicked person.

adjective

1. Archaic. wicked; malicious; treacherous.

felon

²

[ fel-uhn ]

noun

1. an acute and painful inflammation of the deeper tissues of a finger or toe, usually near the nail: a form of whitlow.

felon

¹

/ ˈfɛlən /

noun

1. criminal law (formerly) a person who has committed a felony
2. obsolete.
   a wicked person

adjective

1. archaic.
   evil; cruel

felon

²

/ ˈfɛlən /

noun

1. a purulent inflammation of the end joint of a finger, sometimes affecting the bone

Sensitive Note

Terms such as felon, convict, inmate, and offender can be dehumanizing to people in the criminal justice system. The stigma of these categories often follows people after their release from prison, and contributes to difficulty reintegrating into society. Because of this, it is often better to use language that centers the specific experiences of a person or group, rather than using a label: People who have been incarcerated may have problems accessing quality healthcare, rather than Felons may have problems accessing quality healthcare. Some individuals who have been imprisoned or convicted of a crime, however, might use these labels to describe themselves. It is always best to respect a person's self-designation when referring to them.

Word History and Origins

Origin of felon¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English fel(o)un “wicked, wicked person, evildoer,” from Old French fel (nominative), felun (oblique) “wicked person, traitor,” from Medieval Latin fellon- , stem of fello “villain, evildoer”; further etymology uncertain

Origin of felon²

1375–1425; late Middle English felo ( u ) n < Medieval Latin fellōn- (stem of fellō ) scrofulous tumor, of uncertain origin

Word History and Origins

Origin of felon¹

C13: from Old French: villain, from Medieval Latin fellō , of uncertain origin

Origin of felon²

C12: from Medieval Latin fellō sore, perhaps from Latin fel poison

Example Sentences

In March 2021, a federal grand jury indicted Gaulden, accusing the musician of possessing an unregistered firearm and “possession of firearms by a convicted felon” in connection to a 2020 case.

From Los Angeles Times

Maybe she yielded to the far left, which admonished her for stigmatizing felons.

From Salon

How did we allow a convicted felon, compulsive liar, adjudicated sexual abuser and wannabe dictator to be elected our nation’s president?

From Los Angeles Times

He's already a convicted felon, a fraudster, a sexual assaulter, a proven pathological liar who stole classified documents and refused to give them back so it's hard to imagine what that might be.

From Salon

He is a convicted felon awaiting sentencing in a New York case, and facing additional criminal charges in two federal cases and in Georgia.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• convict
• delinquent
• lawbreaker
• offender