gravamen

noun

gra·va·men | \grə-ˈvā-mən

\

plural gravamens or gravamina\grə-ˈva-mə-nə

\

Definition of gravamen

: the material or significant part of a grievance or complaint

Did You Know?

Gravamen is not a word you hear every day, but it does show up occasionally in modern-day publications. It comes from the Latin verb gravare, meaning "to burden," and ultimately from the Latin adjective gravis, meaning "heavy." Fittingly, "gravamen" refers to the part of a grievance or complaint that gives it weight or substance. In legal contexts, "gravamen" is used, synonymously with "gist," to refer to the grounds on which a legal action is sustainable. "Gravis" has given English several other weighty words, including "gravity," "grieve," and the adjective grave, meaning "important" or "serious."

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Grau San Martín

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The first known use of gravamen was in 1602

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gravamen

noun

gra·va·men | \grə-ˈvā-mən

\

Legal Definition of gravamen

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to make faulty or ineffective

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