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defame

[ dih-feym ]
/ dɪˈfeɪm /
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See synonyms for: defame / defamed / defaming on Thesaurus.com

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.
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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, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH defame

defame , libel, slander
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use defame in a sentence

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, noun

Word 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 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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