calumny

[ kal-uhm-nee ]
See synonyms for calumny on Thesaurus.com
noun,plural cal·um·nies.
  1. a false and malicious statement designed to injure the reputation of someone or something: The speech was considered a calumny of the administration.

  2. the act of uttering calumnies; slander; defamation.

Origin of calumny

1
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin calumnia, equivalent to calumn-, perhaps originally a participle of calvī “to deceive” + -ia -y3)

confusables note For calumny

See slander.

Other words for calumny

Words that may be confused with calumny

Words Nearby calumny

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use calumny in a sentence

  • Neither envy nor calumny had the least influence over me, or I felt it only from persons who had not the power to injure me.

  • Then he flung his glove at the king's feet, saying: "Let him who believes that calumny come forward!"

    Catherine de' Medici | Honore de Balzac

British Dictionary definitions for calumny

calumny

/ (ˈkæləmnɪ) /


nounplural -nies
  1. the malicious utterance of false charges or misrepresentation; slander; defamation

  2. such a false charge or misrepresentation

Origin of calumny

1
C15: from Latin calumnia deception, slander

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012