misdemeanor
noun
Jessica Portner
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What is meant by 'crimes and misdemeanors'?
Misdemeanor comes from demeanor, which means “behavior toward others” or “outward manner” (as in “his quiet demeanor”), itself derived from the verb demean, which means “to conduct or behave (oneself) usually in a proper manner”—not to be confused with the other and much more common verb demean that means “to lower in character, status, or reputation” (as in “I won’t demean myself by working for so little money”). These two verbs are spelled the same way but come from different roots.
Therefore, misdemeanor literally means “bad behavior toward others.” This led to parallel usage as both general bad behavior and legal bad behavior. In American law, a misdemeanor is “a crime less serious than a felony.” A felony is defined as “a federal crime for which the punishment may be death or imprisonment for more than a year.” As misdemeanor became more specific, crime became the more general term for any legal offense.
The phrase “high crimes and misdemeanors,” found in Article Two, Section 4 of the Constitution, has been used in English law since the 14th century, as have other fixed phrases using synonymous terms, such as “rules and regulations” and “emoluments and salaries.” It can be very difficult to distinguish between any of these pairs of words, and their frequent use together renders them less technical in today’s highly specific legal vocabulary. “High crimes” are serious crimes committed by those with some office or rank, and was used in the language describing impeachment proceedings of members of the British Parliament in the 18th century.
Examples of misdemeanor in a Sentence
Keri Blakinger, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2024
Brooks, now 42, is serving six consecutive life sentences plus 1,200 years for six counts of first-degree intentional homicide, 61 counts of recklessly endangering safety, six counts of hit-and-run causing death, two counts of bail jumping and one misdemeanor count of battery.
—Jim Riccioli, Journal Sentinel, 16 Apr. 2024
Sentencing under law much shorter than 20-year maximum: lawyer
Fischer, a former police officer in central Pennsylvania, faces the obstruction charge plus a handful of misdemeanor counts for entering the Capitol Rotunda and being driven out by police with pepper spray.
—Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 16 Apr. 2024
The film’s assistant director, David Halls, secured a plea deal with prosecutors, pleading no contest to a misdemeanor count of negligent handling of a gun.
—Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 15 Apr. 2024
The 35-year-old woman faces felony counts of assault and committing a hate crime, as well as a misdemeanor charge of violating a protective or stay-away court order.
—Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 12 Apr. 2024
He has been charged with one count each of disorderly conduct involving weapons, a felony, and threatening or intimidating, a misdemeanor.
—Erick Mendoza, NBC News, 11 Apr. 2024
Murphy pleaded guilty in January to eight felony counts and four misdemeanor counts of cruelty to companion animals.
—Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 9 Apr. 2024
Laube pleaded guilty last year to a misdemeanor charge for repeatedly punching a journalist — identified only as F.T. — who was covering the Huntington Beach rally.
—Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'misdemeanor.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Misdemeanor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misdemeanor. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
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misdemeanor
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