indictment

n. act of accusing; formal accusation presented by a grand jury (Law); accusation, criticism; state of being indicted

In the common law legal system, an indictment is a formal accusation of having committed a criminal offense. In those jurisdictions which retain the concept of a felony, the serious criminal offense would be a felony; those jurisdictions which have abolished the concept of a felony often substitute instead the concept of an indictable offence, i.e. an offence which requires an indictment.
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Noun
1. a formal document written for a prosecuting attorney charging a person with some offense
(synonym) bill of indictment
(hypernym) legal document, legal instrument, official document, instrument
(hyponym) murder charge, murder indictment
(part-meronym) charge, complaint
(derivation) indict
2. an accusation of wrongdoing; "the book is an indictment of modern philosophy"
(hypernym) accusation, accusal
(derivation) indict

(n.)
The formal statement of an offense, as framed by the prosecuting authority of the State, and found by the grand jury.
  

(n.)
The act of indicting, or the state of being indicted.
  

(n.)
An accusation in general; a formal accusation.
  

USA: a formal accusation returned by a Grand Jury, that charges a person with a serious crime. It is on the basis of an indictment that an accused person must stand trial. - (read more on Indictment)