Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

gravamen

noun gra·va·men \ grə-ˈvā-mən \

Definition of gravamen

plural gravamens or gravamina play \grə-ˈva-mə-nə\
: the material or significant part of a grievance or complaint

gravamen was our Word of the Day on 12/14/2017. Hear the podcast!

Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP

Get Word of the Day daily email, delivered to your inbox!

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."

Origin and Etymology of gravamen

Late Latin, burden, from Latin gravare to burden, from gravis

Law Dictionary

gravamen

noun gra·va·men \ grə-ˈvā-mən \

legal Definition of gravamen

: gist

Origin and Etymology of gravamen

Medieval Latin, from Late Latin, burden, from Latin gravare to burden, from gravis heavy, grave

Learn More about gravamen

  1. See words that rhyme with gravamen Spanish Central: Translation of gravamen

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up gravamen? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

volatile

play

subject to rapid or unexpected change

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. probity 'adherence to the highest principles and ideals'

  2. sequacious 'intellectually servile'

  3. inadmissible 'not capable of being allowed'

  4. oligarch, pejorative 'a member a government in which a small group exercises control especially for corrupt and selfish purposes'

  5. emolument 'the returns arising from office or employment usually in the form of compensation or perquisites'

SEE ALL

BROWSE DICTIONARY

gravamen

Test Your Vocabulary

The Eponym Quiz

  • rubens-painting
  • Which is the best synonym of bowdlerize?
True or False

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Word Winder's CrossWinder

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games