Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A false statement maliciously made to injure another's reputation.
- noun The utterance of maliciously false statements; slander.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun False accusation of crime, misconduct, or defect, knowingly or maliciously made or reported, to the injury of another; untruth maliciously spoken, to the detraction of another; a defamatory report; slander.
- noun Synonyms Lying, falsehood, libel, aspersion, detraction, backbiting, defamation, evil-speaking.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun False accusation of a crime or offense, maliciously made or reported, to the injury of another; malicious misrepresentation; slander; detraction.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun a
falsification ormisrepresentation intended todisparage ordiscredit another. - noun
false charges brought about totarnish another'sreputation orstanding .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun an abusive attack on a person's character or good name
- noun a false accusation of an offense or a malicious misrepresentation of someone's words or actions
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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Well, yes, you can request the candidate, to Write a short note on the word calumny above, or ask From what is it derived?
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It was the word calumny that offended him most, that, and the idea that he, the Marquis of Trowbridge, should be called upon to promise not to commit an offence!
The Vicar of Bullhampton Anthony Trollope 1848
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Yet even calumny is sagacious enough to discover and to attack the most vulnerable part.
The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire 1206
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Yesterday's term was calumny, which is defined as:
Define That Term #7 2006
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(Laugier, tom.ii. p. 119) accuse the emperor Manuel; but the calumny is refuted by Villehardouin and the older writers, who suppose that Dandolo lost his eyes by a wound, (No. 31, and
The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire 1206
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When they place these phrases in opposition to each other, they do this, not from the meaning which I affix to them, but from their own; and, therefore, according to the signification which they give to them severally, they fabricate this calumny, which is an act of iniquity.
The Works of James Arminius, Vol. 1 1560-1609 1956
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Objectively, a calumny is a mortal sin when it is calculated to do serious harm to the person so traduced.
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 3: Brownson-Clairvaux 1840-1916 1913
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Wicked doers and speakers alike delight in calumny.
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Now, I am receiving for all this a guerdon of blame and calumny, which is cast upon me in order to cover up faults which have been committed by others in past days.
PG Edition of Netherlands series — Complete John Lothrop Motley 1845
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Now, I am receiving for all this a guerdon of blame and calumny, which is cast upon me in order to cover up faults which have been committed by others in past days.
History of the United Netherlands from the Death of William the Silent to the Twelve Year's Truce — Complete (1584-86) John Lothrop Motley 1845
chained_bear commented on the word calumny
Every time I see this word I think of the young officer in "Master and Commander" named Peter Miles Calamy.
October 10, 2007
sionnach commented on the word calumny
What I don't recall is the difference between calumny and slander. Except that the latter acts as its own verb, obviously.
I do believe that the calumniators get a dedicated niche in the inferno. And that was before the 10th circle was opened, as reported in The Onion.
October 10, 2007
brtom commented on the word calumny
"Daughters of calumny, I summon you!" Sheridan, School for Scandal.
January 2, 2008
koldewyse commented on the word calumny
Found this in The Crucible. Who'd have guessed?
September 7, 2008
mohitanand commented on the word calumny
making of a false statement meant to injure a person’s reputation
With the presidential primaries well under way, the air is thick with calumny, and the mud already waist-high.
October 1, 2016