INDICTMENT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does indictment mean? 

• INDICTMENT (noun)
  The noun INDICTMENT has 2 senses:

1. a formal document written for a prosecuting attorney charging a person with some offense

2. an accusation of wrongdoing

  Familiarity information: INDICTMENT used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• INDICTMENT (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A formal document written for a prosecuting attorney charging a person with some offense

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

bill of indictment; indictment

Hypernyms ("indictment" is a kind of...):

instrument; legal document; legal instrument; official document ((law) a document that states some contractual relationship or grants some right)

Meronyms (parts of "indictment"):

charge; complaint ((criminal law) a pleading describing some wrong or offense)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "indictment"):

murder charge; murder indictment (an indictment charging someone with murder)

true bill (an indictment endorsed by a grand jury)

Derivation:

indict (accuse formally of a crime)

Sense 2

Meaning:

An accusation of wrongdoing

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Context example:

the book is an indictment of modern philosophy

Hypernyms ("indictment" is a kind of...):

accusal; accusation (a formal charge of wrongdoing brought against a person; the act of imputing blame or guilt)

Derivation:

indict (accuse formally of a crime)

 Context examples 

At this solemn indictment the novice raised his hand and twitched his lip, while even the placid senior brothers glanced across at each other and coughed to cover their amusement.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

All the woes of tortured life, all its stupendous indictment of high heaven, its innumerable sorrows, seemed to be centered and condensed into that one dreadful, agonized cry.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)