libelous

especially British, li·bel·lous

[lahy-buh-luhs]

adjective

1. containing, constituting, or involving a libel; maliciously defamatory.

Other Word Forms

• libelously adverb
• nonlibelous adjective
• nonlibelously adverb
• unlibellous adjective
• unlibellously adverb
• unlibelous adjective
• unlibelously adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of libelous¹

First recorded in 1610–20; libel + -ous

Example Sentences

And it prohibits posts that are “obscene, defamatory, profane, libelous, threatening, harassing, abusive or hateful to another person or entity.”

From Salon

Farrell’s lawsuit calls that statement libelous, but he is not suing for defamation or libel.

From Los Angeles Times

He is suing various media organizations — including the board of the Pulitzer Prizes and the Des Moines Register and its parent company, Gannett — over journalism he claims was libelous or unfair.

From Los Angeles Times

Discovery and the production company Ample Entertainment of inflicting emotional distress through defamatory and libelous claims made in the documentary.

From Salon

Other people were encumbered by concerns at the time, possibly about, you know, is that libelous?

From Salon