Gravaminous

/ɡrəˈvæmɪnəs/ adjective

Definition

Relating to or constituting a gravamen; weighty, serious, or forming the main point of a complaint.

Etymology

Formed from gravamen plus the Latin-derived suffix -ous meaning 'full of' or 'characterized by,' creating an adjective meaning 'of the nature of a gravamen.'

Kelly Says

This is a rare scholarly word that appears mostly in legal and ecclesiastical Latin texts—it shows how medieval scholars took a noun and adjectivalized it to say 'this is the really serious part that we're focusing on.'

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