# felon

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈfɛlən/ · frequency rank #23,270

## Definitions
1. Of a person or animal, their actions, thoughts, etc.: brutal, cruel, harsh, heartless; also, evil, wicked.
2. Of a place: harsh, savage, wild; of a thing: deadly; harmful.
3. Obtained through a felony; stolen.

## Etymology
The adjective is derived from Middle English feloun, felun (“base, wicked; hostile; of an animal: dangerous; of words: angry, harsh, slanderous; of things: dangerous, deadly; false, fraudulent; unlucky”) [and other forms], from Old French felon (“bad, evil, immoral”) (compare fel (“evil; despicable, vile”)), from Early Medieval Latin fellōnem; further etymology uncertain.
Doublet of fell (“of a strong and cruel nature; fierce; grim; ruthless, savage”).
Etymology 1 sense 3 (“obtained through a felony”) is derived from the noun.
The noun is derived from Middle English feloun, felun (“criminal, specifically one who has committed a felony, felon; cruel, hostile, violent, etc., person; deceiver; evildoer, monster, sinner; traitor; bold or fierce warrior; deceit, falseness; wickedness, wrongdoing; treachery”) [and other forms], from feloun, felun (adjective): see above.
Cognates
* Catalan felló (adjective)
* French félon (adjective, noun)
* Italian fellone (adjective, noun)
* Occitan felon, felhon, fellon (adjective)
* Spanish felón (adjective, noun)

## Easily confused with
- **Flo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/felon-vs-flo)
- **fen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/felon-vs-fen)
- **felt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/felon-vs-felt)
- **flow** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/felon-vs-flow)
- **flop** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/felon-vs-flop)
- **fern** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/felon-vs-fern)
- **flor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/felon-vs-flor)
- **flog** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/felon-vs-flog)
- **Fenn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/felon-vs-fenn)
- **flown** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/felon-vs-flown)
- **futon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/felon-vs-futon)
- **felony** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/felon-vs-felony)
- **Fulton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/felon-vs-fulton)
- **Fenton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/felon-vs-fenton)
- **Felton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/felon-vs-felton)
- **fell** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fell-vs-felon)
- **Fein** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fein-vs-felon)
- **Felix** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/felix-vs-felon)
- **fella** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fella-vs-felon)
- **Fells** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/fells-vs-felon)

## Common misspellings (7)
`eflon`, `fellon`, `felno`, `felonn`, `feoln`, `ffelon`, `fleon`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/felon