calumny
/ˈkæləmni/ noun, verb
Forms calumnies calumnying calumnied
- noun (countable) A false accusation or charge brought to tarnish another's reputation or standing.
- noun (uncountable) Falsifications or misrepresentations intended to disparage or discredit another. “Accusations of abuse were pure extortive calumny in a malicious bid to make money.”
- verb (transitive, formal) To make false accusations or levy false charges against a person with the intent to tarnish that person's reputation or standing; to calumniate.
Synonyms
calumniousness defamation obloquy traducement vilification aspersion character assassination detraction disparagement libel slander assassinate asperse backbite badmouth befoul belibel besmirch besmear bewray calumniation hatchet job denigration
Etymology
From Late Middle English calumnīe (“false accusation, slander; (law) objection raised in bad faith”), borrowed from Old French calomnie (“slander, calumny”) (modern French calomnie), or directly from its etymon Latin calumnia (“false statement, misrepresentation; false accusation, malicious charge”), perhaps also related to calvor (“to deceive”). The English word is a doublet of challenge.
The verb is derived from French calomnier (“to slander”), from Late Latin calumniāre, from Latin calumpniārī, calumniārī (“to blame unjustly, misrepresent, calumniate; (law) to accuse falsely, bring false information against”), from calumnia (see above) + -or.
Webster’s 1913
- noun False accusation of a crime or offense, maliciously made or reported, to the injury of another; malicious misrepresentation; slander; detraction. "Infamouse calumnies." Motley.
Etymology [L. calumnia, fr. calvi to devise tricks, deceive; cf. F. calomnie. Cf. Challenge, n.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “calumny”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details