arraignments
|ə-ˈreɪn-mənts|
/əˈreɪnmənts/
(arraignment)
calling to account
Etymology
'arraignment' originates from Anglo-French/Old French, specifically the word 'areinement' or related Anglo-French forms, where the verb root meant 'to call to account' or 'summon'.
'arraignment' changed from Anglo-French/Old French forms such as 'areinement' and entered Middle English as 'araynment' or 'arraignement', eventually becoming the modern English word 'arraignment'.
Initially it referred generally to the act of calling someone to account or summoning; over time it became specialized to mean the formal court procedure in which charges are read and a plea is entered.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural form of 'arraignment'.
The court scheduled several arraignments for next week.
Noun 2
instances of an arraignment: formal court hearings in which charges are read to an accused person and the accused is asked to enter a plea.
Due to separate charges in different jurisdictions, the defendant faced multiple arraignments.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/10/18 16:46