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, The Mercury News, 27 Jan. 2025
She is accused of fatally shooting and stabbing them, as well as injuring a third child who survived and told police of their ordeal, and has been charged in absentia of seven counts, include two first degree murder charges.
—Patrick Smith, NBC News, 24 Jan. 2025
Mark Price, Miami Herald, 24 Jan. 2025
Pam Phillips, Triano’s ex-wife, and her business associate, Ron Young, would eventually be charged and convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
—Matt Allen, ABC News, 24 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for first degree 
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Noun
Gaines was convicted earlier this month of first degree murder, carjacking, robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, and gun possession, court records show.
—Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 27 Jan. 2025
She is accused of fatally shooting and stabbing them, as well as injuring a third child who survived and told police of their ordeal, and has been charged in absentia of seven counts, include two first degree murder charges.
—Patrick Smith, NBC News, 24 Jan. 2025
Adjective
Cobb was arrested at the scene and charged with first-degree murder, police said.
—Mark Price, Miami Herald, 24 Jan. 2025
Pam Phillips, Triano’s ex-wife, and her business associate, Ron Young, would eventually be charged and convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder.
—Matt Allen, ABC News, 24 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for first degree
Dictionary Entries Near first degree
Cite this Entry
“First degree.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/first%20degree. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.
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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