Phrase guide

lesser included offense

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A crime the elements of which coincide with the elements of a more serious crime, from which the prosecutor is therefore precluded from separately charging a criminal defendant.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: law

Examples

  • A robbery is an assault combined with a theft; a person can not be criminally charged with both the robbery and the assault that occurred during the robbery; the assault is a lesser included offense.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.