What does indict mean?
To indict someone is to formally accuse that person of a crime, usually through legal proceedings initiated by a prosecutor. The word commonly appears in legal and news reporting alongside expressions such as “indict someone for fraud” and “be indicted on charges.” An indictment is not a conviction: it records allegations that must be tested at trial, and the accused person is presumed innocent unless found guilty. The term can also be used more broadly, as when a report is said to have “indicted” a company or official for serious wrongdoing, although this figurative use still carries a strong suggestion of formal responsibility. Indict belongs to a family that includes the noun “indictment” and the adjective “indictable.” It is related in origin to words such as “indicate” and “index,” all of which derive from Latin roots associated with showing, declaring, or pointing out.
verbTo formally accuse someone of a crime, especially in a legal proceeding. An indictment alleges criminal charges but does not itself establish guilt.
- To formally accuse someone of a crime, especially by an official document or legal proceeding.
"The prosecutor declined to indict the former official because the evidence was insufficient."
"Federal prosecutors indicted six former employees over an extensive scheme of fraud."
"The committee issued a report that effectively indicted the company for misleading investors."
An indictment opens a criminal case, but it is only an accusation: the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does indict come from?
Indict entered Middle English through Anglo-French enditer, ultimately derived from the Latin verb indicere, meaning “to declare” or “make known.” The word originally developed in legal contexts before becoming established as a general term for formal criminal accusation. It is cognate with related English words such as indicate, index, and dictionary, which share Latin roots involving dicere, “to say” or “to speak.”
Related word forms
How indict is actually used
The word is formal and primarily legal. In everyday use, it can be used figuratively for a strong accusation, but an indictment remains distinct from a conviction and does not imply that the accused person is guilty.
Easily confused with indict
Both words are pronounced /ɪnˈdaɪt/, but an indictment is a formal criminal accusation, whereas an inditement is a written statement of wrongdoing.
To impeach someone is to charge a public official with serious misconduct, while to indict someone is to accuse a person of a crime in a legal proceeding.