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Indictment: meaning, definitions and examples

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indictment

 

[ ɪnˈdaɪtmənt ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

legal term

An indictment is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime. In the United States, an indictment is typically issued by a grand jury based upon a proposed charge presented by a prosecutor. It serves as a means to bring the accused to trial.

Synonyms

accusation, allegation, charge

Examples of usage

  • The grand jury returned an indictment against the suspect.
  • The prosecutor presented the indictment in court.

Translations

Translations of the word "indictment" in other languages:

🇵🇹 acusação

🇮🇳 अभियोग

🇩🇪 Anklage

🇮🇩 dakwaan

🇺🇦 обвинувачення

🇵🇱 akt oskarżenia

🇯🇵 起訴

🇫🇷 acte d'accusation

🇪🇸 acusación

🇹🇷 suçlama

🇰🇷 기소

🇸🇦 اتهام

🇨🇿 obžaloba

🇸🇰 obžaloba

🇨🇳 起诉书

🇸🇮 obtožnica

🇮🇸 ákæra

🇰🇿 айыптау

🇬🇪 ბრალდება

🇦🇿 ittiham

🇲🇽 acusación

Etymology

The word 'indictment' originated from the Latin word 'indictare', which means 'to declare'. The concept of indictments dates back to ancient Roman law, where individuals were formally accused of crimes through a similar process. Over time, the practice of issuing indictments became a common legal procedure in many countries, including the United States.

See also: indict.

Word Frequency Rank

At #5,355 in frequency, this word belongs to advanced vocabulary. It's less common than core vocabulary but important for sophisticated expression.