To arraign is to bring someone before a court to hear the charges against them and to enter a plea, such as guilty or not guilty. It is one of the first steps in a criminal case.
From Old French “araigner,” from Latin “ad-” (to) and “rationem” (account), meaning “to call to account.” It shifted to the legal act of calling someone to answer charges.
Arraign is the moment the justice system says, “We officially accuse you—how do you answer?” It turns a person from just being arrested into someone formally facing the power of the court.
Legal processes like arraignment historically reflected gender biases in policing, prosecution, and sentencing, with women sometimes treated more harshly for moral offenses and more leniently for others. The term itself is neutral but embedded in systems with gendered outcomes.
Use "arraign" neutrally, and when discussing criminal justice, be explicit about differential impacts on people of different genders without stereotyping defendants.
["formally charge","bring before the court"]
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