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View synonyms for gravamen

gravamen

[ gruh-vey-muhn ]

noun

, Law.
, plural gra·vam·i·na [gr, uh, -, vam, -, uh, -n, uh].
  1. the part of an accusation that weighs most heavily against the accused; the substantial part of a charge or complaint.
  2. a grievance.


gravamen

/ ɡrəˈveɪmɛn /

noun

  1. law that part of an accusation weighing most heavily against an accused
  2. law the substance or material grounds of a complaint
  3. a rare word for grievance
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of gravamen1

1595–1605; < Late Latin: trouble, physical inconvenience, equivalent to Latin gravā ( re ) to load, weigh down (derivative of gravis heavy, burdened) + -men noun suffix
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Word History and Origins

Origin of gravamen1

C17: from Late Latin: trouble, from Latin gravāre to load, from gravis heavy; see grave ²
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Example Sentences

The gravamen of the disqualification attempt is that Willis hired Wade because they were involved romantically, and she wanted to benefit financially from his hourly compensation, which Roman claims is excessive.

From Salon

"They are a sovereign instrumentality of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and a sitting minister of the Saudi government, and they cannot be compelled to provide testimony and documents in a US proceeding unless their conduct - not LIV's or anyone else's - is truly the 'gravamen' of the case."

From BBC

The statement of confessional difficulty, sometimes also called a “gravamen,” was needed after the annual synod of the Christian Reformed Church this summer voted to codify its opposition to homosexual sex.

If they cannot, they will be expected to submit a gravamen to the Professional Status Committee and the Board of Trustees before they are hired.

“If the People’s view is that Mr. Sanders is not a thief,” writes Antonia Apps, Kosinski’s attorney, in her filing, “the Court should dismiss the Indictment in its entirety, because the gravamen of the crime of criminal possession of stolen property is that the property being possessed was in fact stolen.”

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