Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Seriousness or solemnity in demeanor or treatment.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Seriousness in bearing or manner; dignity.
  • noun figuratively substance, weight.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun formality in bearing and appearance

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Latin gravitās, heaviness, seriousness; see gravity.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin gravitās ("weight, heaviness")

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Examples

  • He had accumulated an air of standing, toting around great sacks of what they call gravitas.

    Under the Buttonwood Tree (Excerpt) Joshua Moses 2011

  • One man's "gravitas" is a good many more people's "aloof toff" in my opinion.

    Menzies Campbell and the spin doctors 2006

  • I think Clinton would bring a certain gravitas as a former President that no other candidate could possible bring to the table.

    The Volokh Conspiracy » The Short List 2010

  • Convention dictates that one must have a lot of microbes (sorry) buzzing around doing all sorts of micro-work; it emerges when an organization gets to a certain size and starts believing that it needs microbes because it is now "big" and must have girth (only they call it "gravitas").

    Management 2010

  • I think Clinton would bring a certain gravitas as a former President that no other candidate could possible bring to thetable.

    The Volokh Conspiracy » The Short List 2010

  • I think Clinton would bring a certain gravitas as a former President that no other candidate could possible bring to the table.

    The Volokh Conspiracy » The Short List 2010

  • Just as the Halloween sequels have been given a certain gravitas by the continuing appearances of Donald Pleasence, the Saw series have always used to the compelling presence of Mr. Bell to give it a certain edge.

    Scott Mendelson: Huff Post Review: Saw VII 3D (2010) Scott Mendelson 2010

  • Convention dictates that one must have a lot of microbes (sorry) buzzing around doing all sorts of micro-work; it emerges when an organization gets to a certain size and starts believing that it needs microbes because it is now "big" and must have girth (only they call it "gravitas").

    performance anxiety 2009

  • Just as the Halloween sequels have been given a certain gravitas by the continuing appearances of Donald Pleasence, the Saw series have always used to the compelling presence of Mr. Bell to give it a certain edge.

    Scott Mendelson: Huff Post Review: Saw VII 3D (2010) Scott Mendelson 2010

  • Convention dictates that one must have a lot of microbes (sorry) buzzing around doing all sorts of micro-work; it emerges when an organization gets to a certain size and starts believing that it needs microbes because it is now "big" and must have girth (only they call it "gravitas").

    performance anxiety 2009

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