defame
[ dih-feym ]
/ dɪˈfeɪm /
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verb (used with object), de·famed, de·fam·ing.
to attack the good name or reputation of, as by uttering or publishing maliciously or falsely anything injurious; slander or libel; calumniate: The newspaper editorial defamed the politician.
Archaic. to disgrace; bring dishonor upon.
Archaic. to accuse.
QUIZZES
QUIZ YOURSELF ON “THEIR,” “THERE,” AND “THEY’RE”
Are you aware how often people swap around “their,” “there,” and “they’re”? Prove you have more than a fair grasp over these commonly confused words.
Question 1 of 7
Which one of these commonly confused words can act as an adverb or a pronoun?
Origin of defame
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English defamen, from Anglo-French defamer or directly from Medieval Latin dēfāmāre, variant of Medieval Latin, Latin diffāmāre (dē- de- for dif-; compare Latin dēfāmātus “infamous”) “to spread the news of, slander,” equivalent to dif- dif- + -fāmāre verbal derivative of fāma “news, rumor, slander” (see fame); replacing Middle English diffamen, from Anglo-French, Old French diffamer or directly from Medieval Latin, Latin, as above
OTHER WORDS FROM defame
de·fam·er, nounde·fam·ing·ly, adverbun·de·famed, adjectiveun·de·fam·ing, adjectiveWords nearby defame
defaecate, defalcate, defalcation, defamation, defamatory, defame, defamiliarization, defang, default, defaulter, DEFCON
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for defame
British Dictionary definitions for defame
defame
/ (dɪˈfeɪm) /
verb (tr)
to attack the good name or reputation of; slander; libel
archaic to indict or accuse
Derived forms of defame
defamer, nounWord Origin for defame
C14: from Old French defamer, from Latin dēfāmāre, from diffāmāre to spread by unfavourable report, from fāma fame
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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