aggravant
|ag-grav-ant|
/ˈæɡrəvənt/
something that makes worse
Etymology
'aggravant' originates from French, specifically the word 'aggravant', where the root comes from Latin 'aggravare' (from 'ad-' + 'gravis') meaning 'to make heavy' or 'to burden'.
'aggravant' changed from Latin 'aggravare' which passed into Old French as 'aggraver' and the present participle 'aggravant', and eventually was borrowed into English as the noun 'aggravant'.
Initially, related forms meant 'to make heavy' or 'to burden', and over time the sense shifted to 'to make worse'; in modern English 'aggravant' means 'a factor that makes a situation worse or more serious'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a factor or circumstance that increases the severity or seriousness of an offense, condition, or situation; an aggravating circumstance.
The court considered the defendant's prior convictions as an aggravant when deciding the sentence.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/23 23:01