A serious crime punishable by
more than a year in prison or by death. A felony, in many common law
legal systems, is the term for a "very serious" crime; misdemeanors are
considered to be less serious. Crimes which are commonly considered to
be felonies include: aggravated assault, arson, burglary, murder, and
rape. Those who are convicted of a felony are known as felons.
Originally, felonies were crimes for which the punishment was either
death or forfeiture of property.
