first degree

1 of 2

noun

US : the level of a crime that is the most serious and warranting the most severe punishment

first-degree

2 of 2

adjective

first-de·​gree ˈfərst-di-ˈgrē 

1

US : of the most serious type : warranting the harshest punishment

first-degree murder/theft/arson

2

: of the least harmful or mildest type

first-degree frostbite

see also first-degree burn

Examples of first degree in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

After being charged with first degree murder in 1999, Jackson was advised to plead guilty and given a 30-year sentence. —Liz McNeil, People.com, 16 Dec. 2024

English has since been charged with kidnapping of a minor and rape to the first degree, according to court documents. —Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 6 Dec. 2024

Adjective

If convicted of second-degree murder, Mangione faces at least 15 years to life in prison, while a first-degree murder charge carries a minimum of 20 years to life in prison. —Emma Tucker, CNN, 13 Dec. 2024

All that was presented to the jury, and the jury still convicted them both of first-degree murder. —Dominic Patten, Deadline, 13 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1682, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1851, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Medical Definition

first-degree

adjective

ˈfərst-di-ˈgrē 

: of the lowest or mildest in a series of categories : characterized by or causing the least harmful level of injury

a first-degree laceration

see also first-degree burn compare second-degree, third-degree

Legal Definition

first degree

noun

: the grade given to the most serious forms of crimes

burglary in the first degree

first-degree adjective