Hyphenation
fel·onTurkish pronunciation
felınSynonyms
con,
convict,
delinquent,
ex-con,
jailbird,
lawbreaker,
lifer,
loser,
malefactor,
offender,
outlaw,
yardbirdPronunciation
/ˈfelən/ /ˈfɛlən/
Etymology
[ 'fe-l&n ] (noun.) 13th century. Middle English felun, feloun, from Anglo-Norman fel, felun 'traitor, wretch', from Old Low Franconian *felo 'wicked person', from Proto-Germanic *fillo, *filjo 'flayer, whipper, scoundrel' from Proto-Germanic *faliz, *felaz 'cruel, evil, frightening' (compare English fell 'fierce', Middle High German vālant 'imp'), related to *fellanan (compare Dutch villen, German fillen 'to whip, beat'), both from Proto-Indo-European *pelhₐ 'to stir, move, swing' (compare Old Irish adellaim 'I seek', diellaim 'I yield', Umbrian pelsatu 'to overcome, conquer', Latin pellere 'to drive, beat', Latvian plijuôs, plītiês 'to force, impose', Ancient Greek pélas 'I stitch', pílnamai 'I approach', Armenian halacem 'I pursue').