misdemeanor

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   Any act of misbehavior.

   Because of the mother's lack of affection and the judgments made by everybody around her, the child is in opposition to everybody. Her misdemeanors may be partly the expression of her inner revolt.

2. 2
   noun

   a crime less serious than a felony

3. 3
   noun

   A lesser criminal act in most common law legal systems, generally punished less severely than a felony.

Etymology

From mis- + demeanor.