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calumniate

[ kuh-luhm-nee-eyt ]
/ kəˈlʌm niˌeɪt /
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verb (used with object), ca·lum·ni·at·ed, ca·lum·ni·at·ing.

to make false and malicious statements about; slander.

RELATED WORDS

revile, scandalize, slur, smear, blacken, malign, asperse, slander, blaspheme, accuse, libel, vilify

Nearby words

  1. caltech,
  2. caltrop,
  3. caltrop family,
  4. calumet,
  5. calumet city,
  6. calumniation,
  7. calumniator,
  8. calumnious,
  9. calumny,
  10. calutron

Origin of calumniate

1545–55; < Latin calumniātus (past participle of calumniārī to accuse falsely, trick), equivalent to calumni(a) calumny + -ātus -ate1
Related formsca·lum·ni·a·tion, nounca·lum·ni·a·tor, nounnon·ca·lum·ni·at·ing, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for calumniate

British Dictionary definitions for calumniate

calumniate

/ (kəˈlʌmnɪˌeɪt) /

verb

(tr) to slander
Derived Formscalumniable, adjectivecalumniation, nouncalumniator, noun
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 calumniate

calumniate

v.

1550s, from Latin calumniatus, past participle of calumniari "to accuse falsely," from calumnia "slander, false accusation" (see calumny). Related: Calumniated; calumniating.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper