In law, something that acts to annul, invalidate, or dissolve a contract, agreement, or marriage.
From Latin 'dirimere' meaning to break up, separate, or dissolve, used in legal terminology since medieval times.
In Catholic canon law, 'diriment impediments' are things that absolutely prevent a valid marriage—the word is so archaic and formal that it sounds like it should mean something ominous, and it kind of does.
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