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

Davis was arrested in September 2023 and has been charged with first degree murder. —Michael Saponara, Billboard, 6 Mar. 2025

Deshawn Allen, 29, was booked into Broward County’s Main Jail on a first degree murder charge after a shooting early Monday morning. —Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 5 Mar. 2025

Adjective

After a seven-week investigation, he was arrested at his parents’ home in Pennsylvania and brought to Idaho to face four counts of first-degree murder and a count of felony burglary. —Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 13 Mar. 2025

Officers arrested Sullivan, 56, on March 12 on charges of first-degree assault, second-degree kidnapping, first-degree unlawful restraint, cruelty to persons, and first-degree reckless endangerment, police said. —Julia Marnin, Miami Herald, 13 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1682, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1851, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for first degree

• agree
• allee
• banshee
• beastly
• bibi
• bowsprit
• carefree
• cerci
• chablis
• cowpea
• crappie
• crappy

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