third-degree

adjective

The least severe level of felony, typically involving a lack of planning and/or the presence of various mitigating factors.

“The jury found him guilty of third-degree murder since he had only meant to beat the clown, not to kill him.”

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Meanings

adjectivethird-degree (not comparable)

alternative in the third degree · alternative 3rd degree

  1. At the third level of some system
    1. not comparablelawThe least severe level of felony, typically involving a lack of planning and/or the presence of various mitigating factors.

      The jury found him guilty of third-degree murder since he had only meant to beat the clown, not to kill him.

    2. not comparableAn extremely severe level of damage, typically involving major scarring and damage to subcutaneous tissue as well as the epidermis.

Translations

Dutch van de derde graad, derdegraads-
  • van de derde graadseverely burnt
  • derdegraads-severely burnt
Finnish lievä, kolmannen asteen
  • lieväleast severe level of felony offense
  • kolmannen asteenseverely burnt
Hungarian harmadfokú
  • harmadfokúseverely burnt
Cite this entry
APA

third-degree. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/third-degree

MLA

“third-degree.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/third-degree. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “third-degree,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/third-degree.

Source: third-degree on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.