defamation

[def-uh-mey-shuhn]

noun

1. the act of defaming; false or unjustified injury of the good reputation of another, as by slander or libel; calumny.

   She sued the magazine for defamation of character.

defamation

/ ˌdɛfəˈmeɪʃən /

noun

1. law the injuring of a person's good name or reputation Compare libel slander

2. the act of defaming or state of being defamed

Confusables Note

See slander.

Word History and Origins

Origin of defamation¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English; replacing (by analogy with defame ) Middle English diffamacioun, from Medieval Latin diffāmātiōn- (stem of diffāmātiō ), equivalent to Latin diffāmāt(us) (past participle of diffāmāre; defame ) + -iōn- noun suffix ( -ion )

Example Sentences

Nicklaus Cos., a golf-course designer and marketer of Jack Nicklaus products, has filed for bankruptcy after being hit with a $50 million defamation verdict in favor of the legendary golfer and company founder.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

A World Liberty spokesman forwarded the request to defamation counsel from law firm Clare Locke.

Read more on Barron's

She had also been threatened with legal action for defamation after posting about the situation online, she said.

Read more on BBC

He added that the Reform leader had no plans to sue The Guardian for defamation "at this stage".

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"Therefore, he has failed to state a defamation claim."

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• denigration 
• disparagement