misdemeanor
miss-duh-MEEN-er
/ˌmɪsdɪˈmiːnər/
A minor wrongdoing or a lesser crime punishable by fines or short jail terms.
Covers unlawful acts that cause less public harm than felonies, such as petty theft or vandalism.
The story behind the word. Combines the Germanic prefix 'mis-' (wrongly) with the Old French 'demeaner' (to conduct or manage), literally meaning bad personal conduct.
Word relationships
- infraction: Infractions are often non-criminal violations like parking tickets.
- felony: Felonies are severe offenses carrying long prison terms.
Commonly confused with
- felony: Misdemeanors result in minor penalties, while felonies bring severe imprisonment.
Word family
- misdemean (verb): To behave badly (archaic).
Collocations
- gross misdemeanor
- misdemeanor charge
- plead guilty to a misdemeanor
Example sentences
- "The judge reduced the charge from grand larceny to a simple misdemeanor." Court proceeding
Memory hook
MIS-DEMEANOR is just BAD DEMEANOR in the eyes of the law. Bad conduct, minor punishment.
When not to use
Do not use for serious violent crimes or high-stakes fraud.
Fun facts
- In some jurisdictions, trespassing on public property can shift from an infraction to a misdemeanor upon repeated warnings.
Explore more words
misconduct, malfeasance, embezzlement, fraud, extenuation, punitive
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