Word
misdemeanor
Phoneticsmis·de·meanor
US/ˌmɪsdəˈminɝ/
UK/mˌɪsdɪmˈiːnɐ/
UK spelling · misdemeanour
Definitions
01minor crime
n. a crime that is not very serious, usually punished by a fine or a short time in jail rather than a long prison sentence.
n. a criminal offense considered less serious than a felony, typically punishable by fines, community service, or incarceration in a local jail.
“He had to pay a fine for a misdemeanor after he was caught spray-painting the wall.”
“The defendant was charged with a misdemeanor rather than a felony because the value of the stolen goods fell below the statutory threshold.”
American English · Technical
Usage
In the US legal system, it is the standard term for minor crimes; in British English, 'summary offence' is more common.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02bad behavior
n. an action that is slightly wrong or shows bad manners, but is not necessarily a crime.
n. an instance of misbehavior or a minor lapse in conduct.
“The teacher decided to overlook the student's small misdemeanor during the field trip.”
“While not a fireable offense, his constant tardiness was viewed by the board as a professional misdemeanor that required a formal warning.”
Formal
Real-World Examples
“Can you lose your residency in Spain if you commit a crime or misdemeanour?” “Muehl was charged in a misdemeanor bill of information on Thursday that evidently marked the first time he was publicly identified in connection with the video of the sea lion being victimized.” Etymology
From mis- + demeanor.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/misdemeanor