gravamen

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ɡrəˈveɪmən/ UK /ɡrəˈveɪmen/ See IPA manual

noun

Meanings

1

noun
the essential or most serious part of a grievance or accusation

The gravamen of the complaint was the company's deliberate deceit.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the essential or most... essence gist crux substance burden grievance

Word family

Related forms grieve grievance grievous gravity

Etymology

From Late Latin gravamen ('trouble, burden, grievance'), from Latin gravare ('to burden, weigh down'), from gravis ('heavy').

gravāmen Latin gravis Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

# gravamen

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** ɡrəˈveɪmən
**IPA (UK):** ɡrəˈveɪmen

## Meanings
1. the essential or most serious part of a grievance or accusation

## Examples
- The gravamen of the complaint was the company's deliberate deceit.

## Synonyms
- essence
- gist
- crux
- substance
- burden
- grievance

## Related Forms
- grieve
- grievance
- grievous
- gravity

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: gravāmen
- Root: gravis

## Etymology
From Late Latin gravamen ('trouble, burden, grievance'), from Latin gravare ('to burden, weigh down'), from gravis ('heavy').

## AI Etymology
Gravamen comes from Late Latin gravamen ('trouble, burden, grievance'), from Latin gravare ('to burden, weigh down'), from gravis ('heavy'). The etymological trail includes Latin gravāmen and Latin gravis. As a noun, gravamen names the essential or most serious part of a grievance or accusation. The same family is visible in related forms such as grieve, grievance, grievous, and gravity.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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gravamen

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