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slander

[slan-der]
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noun
  1. defamation; calumny: rumors full of slander.
  2. a malicious, false, and defamatory statement or report: a slander against his good name.
  3. Law. defamation by oral utterance rather than by writing, pictures, etc.
verb (used with object)
  1. to utter slander against; defame.
verb (used without object)
  1. to utter or circulate slander.

Origin of slander

1250–1300; (noun) Middle English s(c)laundre < Anglo-French esclaundre, Old French esclandre, alteration of escandle < Late Latin scandalum cause of offense, snare (see scandal); (v.) Middle English s(c)laundren to cause to lapse morally, bring to disgrace, discredit, defame < Old French esclandrer, derivative of esclandre
Related formsslan·der·er, nounslan·der·ing·ly, adverbslan·der·ous, adjectiveslan·der·ous·ly, adverbslan·der·ous·ness, nounnon·slan·der·ous, adjectiveout·slan·der, verb (used with object)qua·si-slan·der·ous, adjectivequa·si-slan·der·ous·ly, adverbre·slan·der, verb (used with object)un·slan·dered, adjectiveun·slan·der·ous, adjectiveun·slan·der·ous·ly, adverbun·slan·der·ous·ness, noun
Can be confuseddefamation liable libel slander (see usage note at liable)defame libel slanderlibel slander

Synonyms

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4. malign, vilify, revile.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

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British Dictionary definitions for slanderous

slander

noun
  1. law
    1. defamation in some transient form, as by spoken words, gestures, etc
    2. a slanderous statement, etc
  2. any false or defamatory words spoken about a person; calumny
verb
  1. to utter or circulate slander (about)
Derived Formsslanderer, nounslanderous, adjectiveslanderously, adverbslanderousness, noun

Word Origin

C13: via Anglo-French from Old French escandle, from Late Latin scandalum a cause of offence; see scandal
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

Word Origin and History for slanderous

adj.

early 15c., from slander + -ous. Related: Slanderously; slanderousness.

slander

n.

late 13c., "state of impaired reputation, disgrace or dishonor;" c.1300, "a false tale; the fabrication and dissemination of false tales," from Anglo-French esclaundre, Old French esclandre "scandalous statement," alteration ("with interloping l" [Century Dictionary]) of escandle, escandre "scandal," from Latin scandalum "cause of offense, stumbling block, temptation" (see scandal). From late 14c. as "bad situation, evil action; a person causing such a state of affairs."

slander

v.

c.1300, from Anglo-French esclaundrer, Old French esclandrer, from esclandre (see slander (n.)). Related: Slandered; slandering; slanderer.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper