libel

[ lahy-buhl ]

noun

1. Law.
   1. defamation by written, printed, or broadcast words or pictures: Compare slander ( def 3 ).

      Intentionally or knowingly posting content that constitutes libel is prohibited.

   2. the act or crime of publishing or broadcasting a defamatory statement:

      The author was convicted of libel and sentenced to a yearlong jail term.

   3. a formal written declaration or statement, as one containing the allegations of a plaintiff or the grounds of a charge.
2. anything that is defamatory or that maliciously or damagingly misrepresents:

   He blames me for his getting kicked out of school, so he spread this libel against me in revenge.

verb (used with object)

, li·beled, li·bel·ing or (especially British) li·belled, li·bel·ling.

1. to publish or broadcast a libel against:

   The journalist received a suspended three-year prison sentence for allegedly libeling the president in an online article.

2. to misrepresent damagingly:

   So it's just fine to smear and libel the writer, but it's not okay to call someone out for doing so?

3. to institute suit against by a libel, as in an admiralty court.

libel

/ ˈlaɪbəl /

noun

1. law
   1. the publication of defamatory matter in permanent form, as by a written or printed statement, picture, etc
   2. the act of publishing such matter
2. any defamatory or unflattering representation or statement
3. ecclesiastical law a claimant's written statement of claim
4. Scots law the formal statement of a charge

verb

1. law to make or publish a defamatory statement or representation about (a person)
2. to misrepresent injuriously
3. ecclesiastical law to bring an action against (a person) in the ecclesiastical courts

libel

1. A written, printed, or pictorial statement that unjustly defames someone publicly. Prosecution of libel as a punishable offense puts some measure of restriction on freedom of the press under the First Amendment (see also First Amendment ).

Confusables Note

See slander.

Derived Forms

• ˈlibeller, noun
• ˈlibellous, adjective

Other Words From

• in·ter·li·bel verb (used with object) interlibeled interlibeling or (especially British) interlibelled interlibelling
• un·li·beled adjective
• un·li·belled adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of libel¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English: “little book, formal document, official statement,” from Latin libellus, diminutive of liber book; for formation, castellum

Word History and Origins

Origin of libel¹

C13 (in the sense: written statement), hence C14 legal sense: a plaintiff's statement, via Old French from Latin libellus a little book, from liber a book

Example Sentences

Libel and slander are not protected speech, but satire most certainly is.

From Salon

Lloyd Jassin, a New York lawyer specializing in publishing law — including copyright and libel law, among other issues important to independent writers — says he’s referred several clients to brokers who represent insurance firms for writers in the last few months.

From Los Angeles Times

She won the subsequent High Court legal case against Vardy, who had sued her for libel, when the judge found the allegation to be "substantially true".

From BBC

So what does it mean for the Jewish community to receive protection from someone who creates fear and dehumanizes these immigrants by saying they are “poisoning the blood of our country”? Is a blood libel bad only when it’s about us?

From Slate

Mrs Vardy sued her for libel, but Mrs Justice Steyn found in July 2022 that the allegation was "substantially true".

From BBC

Related Words

• defamation