misdemeanor
nounUK /ˌmɪsdɪˈmiːnə(ɹ)/
Etymology From mis- + demeanor.
1
US, Historical, In UK A lesser criminal act in most common law legal systems, generally punished less severely than a felony.
- He was charged with a misdemeanor rather than a felony.
- The offense is treated as a minor misdemeanor.
2 more examples
- criminal misdemeanor
- charged with a misdemeanor
2
US Any act of misbehavior.
- petty misdemeanor
- Because of the mother's lack of affection and the judgments made by everybody around her, the child is in opposition to everybody. Her misdemeanors may be partly the expression of her inner revolt.Quoted in 2002, The Collected Clinical Works of Alfred Adler (page 32)
- Derived terms
- misdemeanant, misdemeanist, misdemeanorize, misdemeanorous