1. a minor criminal offense, typically less serious than a felony
Usage: British spelling; American spelling is 'misdemeanor'; legal term
2. a minor misdeed or improper behavior; a petty fault
Usage: informal or archaic usage

Examples

• He was charged with a misdemeanour for shoplifting.
• The court distinguished between felonies and misdemeanours.
• Her late arrival was a minor misdemeanour that went unpunished.
• The officer cited him for a traffic misdemeanour.
• Such social misdemeanours were frowned upon in Victorian society.
• Petty theft is typically classified as a misdemeanour rather than a felony.