A felony is a type of crime that is considered to be of high seriousness, compared to less serious misdemeanor offenses. The term "felony" originated from English common law to describe an offense that resulted in the confiscation of a convicted persons land and goods, to which additional punishments including capital punishment could be added. In the United States, a felony is generally a crime that has a potential punishment of over a year of incarceration. The federal government defines a felony as a crime punishable by death or imprisonment in excess of one year. If punishable by exactly one year or less, it is classified as a misdemeanor. The classification is based upon a crimes potential sentence, so a crime remains classified as a felony even if a defendant convicted of a felony receives a sentence of one year or less.

Felonies are characterized as violent or nonviolent. Violent felonies typically have an element of force or threats of force against a person. Most felonies have state-specific classifications to rank their severity and corresponding incarceration and fine guidelines. Some states categorize felonies, while others have individual guidelines on individual crimes. Some states do not classify felonies by categories, and the sentencing is made on a crime-by-crime basis.

Examples of felony crimes include manslaughter or murder, aggravated assault, kidnapping, grand theft, tax evasion, perjury, drug-related crimes, and more. The punishment for a felony is typically a longer jail sentence and higher penalties than for a misdemeanor.