gravitas

[grav-i-tahs, ‐tas]

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noun

seriousness or sobriety, as of conduct or speech.

Origin of gravitas

1920–25; < Latin gravitās; see gravity

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for gravitas

sobriety, gravity, dignity, poise, solemnity, formality, austerity, will, grit

Examples from the Web for gravitas

Contemporary Examples of gravitas

Nobody believes in the dignity and gravitas of American government.
Up to a Point: In Defense of Lobbyists
P. J. O’Rourke
October 25, 2014
All the moralizing and gravitas that accompanies a star player being arrested should be viewed as a form of Kabuki theater.
Hey NFL Fans: Ray Rice Isn’t the Problem. You Are.
Steve Almond
July 24, 2014
Later in a statement, Moonves praised Letterman for “wit, gravitas, and brilliance unique in the history of our medium.”
The King Abdicates From Late-Night Nation
Tom Shales
April 4, 2014
But some presidents grow stronger rhetorically in the job as the gravitas of the office lends depth to their words.
President Obama’s Belgian Waffle
Stuart Stevens
March 27, 2014
Lee, an ex-BBC defense correspondent, says the couple do not have the "gravitas" to be anything other than celebrities.
William and Kate Are Just Celebrities, And George Won't Ever Be King Says British Historian
Tom Sykes
January 23, 2014

British Dictionary definitions for gravitas

gravitas

noun

seriousness, solemnity, or importance

Word Origin for gravitas

C20: from Latin gravitās weight, from gravis heavy

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

Word Origin and History for gravitas

1924, from Latin gravitas "weight, heaviness;" figuratively, of persons, "dignity, presence, influence" (see gravity). A word that became useful when gravity acquired a primarily scientific meaning.