different between imprisonment vs felony

English

Alternative forms

• emprisonment (obsolete)

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman emprisonement, from Old French emprisonnement. See imprison +? -ment.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?m?p??zn?.m?nt/

Noun

imprisonment (countable and uncountable, plural imprisonments)

1. A confinement in a place, especially a prison or a jail, as punishment for a crime.
   • Every confinement of the person is an imprisonment, whether it be in a common prison, or in a private house, or even by forcibly detaining one in the public streets.

   • Oh, by what plots, by what forswearings, betrayings, oppressions, imprisonments, tortures, poisonings, and under what reasons of state and politic subtilty, have these forenamed kings […] pulled the vengeance of God upon themselves […]

Synonyms

• incarceration
• jaildom

Derived terms

• life imprisonment

Translations

English

Alternative forms

• fellonie

Etymology

From Middle English felony, felonie, from Old French felonie (“evil, immoral deed”), from felon (“evildoer”). Ultimately of Proto-Germanic origin. More at felon.

Pronunciation

• enPR: f?'l?-n?, IPA^(key): /?f?.l?.ni/

Noun

felony (plural felonies)

1. (US, law) A serious criminal offense, which, under United States federal law, is punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year or by death.

Related terms

• felon
• felonious
• felonize

Translations

See also

• misdemeanor (less serious crime)