Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

felon

/ˈfɛlən/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.17 in modern English

Syllables: fel-on
IPA: /ˈfɛlən/

8

Scrabble Score

5

Letters

2

Syllables

5

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Of a person or animal, their actions, thoughts, etc.: brutal, cruel, harsh, heartless; also, evil, wicked.

adj

Of a place: harsh, savage, wild; of a thing: deadly; harmful.

adj

Obtained through a felony; stolen.

Obsolete

noun

A person who has committed a felony (“a serious criminal offence”); specifically, one who has been tried and convicted of such a crime.

noun

An evil or wicked person.

Obsolete

noun

A predatory animal regarded as cruel or wicked.

Obsolete

noun

A small infected sore; an abscess, a boil.

noun

A small infected sore; an abscess, a boil.

Example Sentences

"For Courteſies, tho' undeſerv'd and great, / No gratitude in Fellon-minds beget, / As tribute to his VVit, the churl receives the treat."
"And tvventy youths in radiant mail incas'd, / Cloſe ambuſh'd nigh the ſpacious hall he plac'd. / Then bids prepare the hoſpitable treat: / Vain ſhevvs of love to veil his felon hate!"
"Nor outvvard Tempeſt, nor corroſive Time, / Nought but the felon undermining Hand / Of dark Corruption, can it's Frame diſſolve, / And lay the Toil of Ages in the duſt."
"Yes, Leila sleeps beneath the wave, / But his shall be a redder grave; / Her spirit pointed well the steel / Which taught that felon heart to feel."
"He ask'd the VVaves, and ask'd the Fellon vvinds, / VVhat hard miſhap hath doom'd this gentle ſvvain?"
"Thus often unbelief grovvn ſick of life, / Flies to the tempting pool or felon knife, / The jury meet, the coroner is ſhort, / And lunacy the verdict of the court: […]"

Etymology

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. The noun is derived from Middle English feloun, felun (“criminal, specifically one who has committed a felony, felon; cruel, hostile, violent, etc., person; deceiver; evildoer, monster, sinner; traitor; bold or fierce warrior; deceit, falseness; wickedness, wrongdoing; treachery”) [and other forms], from feloun, felun (adjective): see above. Cognates * Catalan felló (adjective) * French félon (adjective, noun) * Italian fellone (adjective, noun) * Occitan felon, felhon, fellon (adjective) * Spanish felón (adjective, noun)

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: feloun, felon, fellō, *felon, fel

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈfɛlən/
British English: /ˈfɛlən/

Usage

Obsolete

Inflected Forms

felons (plural)

Derived Forms

defelonize feloness felonious feloniousness felonish felonly felonous felonously felonry felonwood felonwort

Phrases

felon-setter felon-setting Negro Felon League Nigger Felon League watermelon felon

Frequently Paired Words

felonize felony

Synonyms

criminal crook outlaw malefactor whitlow

Rhymes With

helen ellen melon mellon mcclellan whelan magellan phelan yellen mclellan kellen belen

Questions

How do you pronounce felon?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈfɛlən/.
What does felon mean?: Of a person or animal, their actions, thoughts, etc.: brutal, cruel, harsh, heartless; also, evil, wicked.
Where does felon come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce felon

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