gravamen: Meaning and Definition of

gra•va•men

Pronunciation: (gru-vā'mun), [key]
— pl. -vam•i•na
  1. the part of an accusation that weighs most heavily against the accused; the substantial part of a charge or complaint.
  2. a grievance.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.