Misdemeanour

Misdemeanour

Noun · /ˌmɪs.dɪˈmiː.nər/

Definition

A minor wrongdoing or act of misconduct, less serious than a crime; in law, a category of criminal offence less serious than a felony (primarily in the US legal system; England and Wales abolished the felony/misdemeanour distinction in 1967).

Origin

From mis- (wrongly) + demeanour (behaviour, conduct, manner, from Old French demener, to lead or conduct oneself, from de- + mener, to lead, from Latin minare, to drive with threats). The compound thus means wrongful conduct or bad behaviour. The legal distinction between felonies (serious crimes) and misdemeanours (lesser offences) was abolished in England and Wales by the Criminal Law Act 1967, though misdemeanour survived in everyday use for minor misconduct. In the United States, the felony-misdemeanour distinction remains central to criminal procedure.