defamation

American  

[def-uh-mey-shuhn] / ˌdɛf əˈmeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act of defaming; false or unjustified injury of the good reputation of another, as by slander or libel; calumny.

   She sued the magazine for defamation of character.

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defamation British  

/ ˌdɛfəˈmeɪʃən /

noun

1. law the injuring of a person's good name or reputation Compare libel slander

2. the act of defaming or state of being defamed

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Commonly Confused

See slander.

Etymology

Origin of defamation

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English; replacing (by analogy with defame ) Middle English diffamacioun, from Medieval Latin diffāmātiōn- (stem of diffāmātiō ), equivalent to Latin diffāmāt(us) (past participle of diffāmāre; defame ) + -iōn- noun suffix ( -ion )

Example Sentences

Jean responds with a civil lawsuit claiming defamation.

From The Wall Street Journal

But Jonathan Coad, a media lawyer who has represented Ferguson in defamation and privacy cases in the past, said there was "no chance" she would go to the US.

From BBC

His lawyers, in fact, reminded AFP of this track record, noting that a Texas court cleared him just that same day in a separate defamation case.

From Barron's

Shell filed a counterclaim accusing Cipriani of extortion and defamation, while Paramount called the allegations “frivolous.”

From The Wall Street Journal

They sued him for defamation, but a jury has sided with the colourful rapper after a three-day trial.

From BBC

Related Words

• denigration
• disparagement