délit

offence, misdemeanour

noun deh-LEE Less Common

Origin: Latin delictum

Usage Note

Délit in French law refers to a criminal offence less serious than a crime but more serious than a contravention; it is tried in the tribunal correctionnel. Être pris en flagrant délit means 'to be caught red-handed'. The final 't' is silent.

Examples

"Il a été arrêté pour un délit mineur."

Natural Translation

He was arrested for a minor offence.

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