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
Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
Demetre Fleurimond, of Dania Beach, faces one count of first degree murder with a firearm.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 7 Sep. 2025
Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2025
Four juveniles accused of shooting and killing a 16-year-old at a northeast Charlotte home in August were charged with first-degree murder, police said.
—Jeff A. Chamer, Charlotte Observer, 11 Sep. 2025
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Noun
This year in particular, the 9/9 portal coincides with the moon in Aries — the first sign of the zodiac — creating a balance between endings and beginnings, especially with Saturn retrograde stationed at the last degree of Pisces while Neptune retrograde journeys through the first degree of Aries.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
Demetre Fleurimond, of Dania Beach, faces one count of first degree murder with a firearm.
—David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
One of the suspects was found guilty of first-degree murder in June 2021, among a list of other charges, while the other suspect pleaded guilty in early 2020 to 17 counts, including murder charges.
—Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2025
Four juveniles accused of shooting and killing a 16-year-old at a northeast Charlotte home in August were charged with first-degree murder, police said.
—Jeff A. Chamer, Charlotte Observer, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for first degree
Cite this Entry
“First degree.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/first%20degree. Accessed 13 Sep. 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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