misdemeanant en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
Etymology
Etymology tree English misdemean Proto-Indo-European *-onts Latin -ns Latin -āns Old French -antbor. Proto-Indo-European *-onts Proto-Germanic *-ndz Proto-West Germanic *-andī Old English -ende Middle English -ant English -ant English misdemeanant From misdemean + -ant.
Meanings
- (US) Someone convicted of a misdemeanor.
-
Someone guilty of misconduct; a wrongdoer.
How much more rational, and probably equally deterrent, it would be to mulct a wilful misdemeanant in work-coupons than to shut him up in a dark room!
1921, Montagu Lomax, The Experiences of an Asylum Doctor, London: Allen & Unwin, page 114:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| misdemeanants | Number=Plur | lexicographic |