indictment

Meaning

Noun

• An official formal accusation for a criminal offence, or the process by which it is brought to a jury.
• The official legal document outlining the charges concerned; bill of indictment.
• An accusation of wrongdoing; a criticism or condemnation.
• Evidence of failure or poor performance.

Related

Narrower meaning words

• preindictment
• reindictment

Origin

• 18th-century Latinized respelling of Middle English endytement ("action of accusing"), from Anglo-Norman enditement, from enditer, from Late Latin indictō, from Latin indictus.