impeachment
UK: ɪmˈpiːtʃmənt | US: ɪmˈpitʃmənt
n. the act of charging a public official with misconduct in office
n. the process of bringing charges against a government official to remove them from office
n. a formal accusation, especially in a political context
impeach<accuse> + ment<noun suffix>
- impeach: From Old French empecher ("to hinder, accuse"), from Latin impedicare ("to entangle"), from in- (into) + pedica (fetter). Evolved to mean "to accuse" in legal contexts.
- ment: A noun-forming suffix from Latin -mentum, indicating an action or resulting state.
Etymology Origin:
The word traces back to Latin impedicare ("to entangle"), reflecting the idea of ensnaring someone in accusations. Through Old French, it entered English with a legal connotation, specifically targeting officials. The suffix -ment formalizes the action, turning "impeach" into a procedural term for political accountability.
The impeachment of the president sparked nationwide debates.
Historical records show few successful impeachments in the country’s history.
The House voted to proceed with the impeachment process.
Critics argued the impeachment was politically motivated.
The senator defended himself vigorously during the impeachment trial.