gravamen noun. [grǝ'veɪmɛn] Pl. -mens, -mina [-mɪnǝ]. E17.
[Late Latin gravamen physical inconvenience, (in medieval Latin) grievance, from Latin gravare weigh on, oppress, from gravis GRAVE adjective¹.]
1. a. In the Anglican Church, a memorial from the Lower House of Convocation to the Upper House representing the existence of disorders and grievances within the Church. E17.
b. A formal complaint or accusation. M17-L19.

2. A grievance. M17.

3. The essential or most serious part of an accusation; the part that bears most heavily on the accused. M19.

[TahlilGaran] English Dictionary ▲