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Added 1 October 2026

felon

/ˈfɛlən/ adjective

In Latin: scelestus Wiktionary

adjective Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about felon at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Of a person or animal, their actions, thoughts, etc.: brutal, cruel, harsh, heartless; also, evil, wicked.
Of a place: harsh, savage, wild; of a thing: deadly; harmful.
Obtained through a felony; stolen.

noun

A person who has committed a felony (“a serious criminal offence”); specifically, one who has been tried and convicted of such a crime.
An evil or wicked person.
A predatory animal regarded as cruel or wicked.

noun

A small infected sore; an abscess, a boil. A whitlow (“infection near or under a fingernail or toenail”).
A whitlow (“infection near or under a fingernail or toenail”).

Origin

The adjective is derived from Middle English feloun, felun (“base, wicked; hostile; of an animal: dangerous; of words: angry, harsh, slanderous; of things: dangerous, deadly; false, fraudulent; unlucky”) [and other forms], from Old French felon (“bad, evil, immoral”) (compare fel (“evil; despicable, vile”)), from Early Medieval Latin fellōnem; further etymology uncertain. Doublet of fell (“of a strong and cruel nature; fierce; grim; ruthless, savage”). Etymology 1, adjective sense 3 (“obtained through a felony”) is derived from the noun.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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