Gravamen

Quick meaning: Gravamen is a noun meaning A grievance complained of.

Meaning

A grievance complained of.

More Meanings

1. The essence or ground of a complaint.
2. (by extension) The essence or most important aspect of a piece of writing, a point of argument, etc.; the gist.
3. (obsolete) A formal charge or complaint.

Example Sentences

Falsehood, which was in ordinary cases the gravamen of the complaint, was omitted altogether in the information against him.

In 1239, the bishops presented gravamina to the papal legate detailing 'prejudices of ecclesiastical liberty by the lord king and his bailiffs'.

[P]roperly, no evidence can be read here that was not read below, and if evidence, which ought to have been read there, was rejected, that ought to be the gravamen of the appeal.

Complaints about the burdens of keeping the lord's hunting dogs are found in several lists of gravamens preceding the Peasants' War, and in the Tyrol "There were special levies [on tenant farmers] for the dogs … of the landlord."

Word Forms

• gravamens
• gravamina

Synonyms for gravamen

Depending on context, synonyms include essence, nature, ousia, quiddity, marrow, quintessence.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include grievance, grudge, guilt, begrimer, begrudgement, displeasure.

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