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

However, it added: "While the BBC sincerely regrets the manner in which the video clip was edited, we strongly disagree there is a basis for a defamation claim."

Read more on Barron's

A South Dakota meat processor, Beef Products Inc., said it was damaged by the report that questioned the safety of its goods and filed a defamation suit against ABC News for $1.9 billion.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Lanez is also due to be interviewed by lawyers in a defamation case Megan has brought against a blogger who she accuses of spreading false narratives about her.

Read more on BBC

But experts on US media and defamation law say the president faces significant obstacles to winning such enormous damages from a lawsuit against the BBC, partly due to strong US press freedom laws.

Read more on BBC

In June, a federal judge dismissed a defamation lawsuit brought by Baldoni, Wayfarer and their associates against Lively and her husband, actor Ryan Reynolds.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• denigration 
• disparagement