US : the level of a crime that is the most serious and warranting the most severe punishment
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
Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2026 He was initially charged with first degree murder and concealing a homicidal death. —Shardaa Gray, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 21 Apr. 2026 The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said the 21-year-old D4vd, whose legal name is David Burke, was charged with first-degree murder, lewd and lascivious acts with a person under 14 and mutilating a body. —Andrew Dalton, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for first degree
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Noun
The suspect, identified in court papers as 40-year-old Tommy Henderson, has now been charged with first degree residential burglary, a felony. —Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2026 He was initially charged with first degree murder and concealing a homicidal death. —Shardaa Gray, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
He was taken into custody and transported to Norwalk police headquarters, where he was charged with two counts of criminal attempt at assault on a police officer, two counts of first-degree reckless endangerment and first-degree threatening. —Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 21 Apr. 2026 The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said the 21-year-old D4vd, whose legal name is David Burke, was charged with first-degree murder, lewd and lascivious acts with a person under 14 and mutilating a body. —Andrew Dalton, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for first degree
Cite this Entry
“First degree.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/dictionary/first%20degree. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
first-degree
adjective
: 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
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