CALUMNY


Meaning of CALUMNY in English

ˈkal(y)əmnē, -i noun

( -es )

Etymology: Middle French & Latin; Middle French calomnie, from Latin calumnia, from calvi to deceive; akin to Old English hōl calumny, Old High German huolen to deceive, Old Norse hōl flattery, Gothic holon to accuse falsely, Greek kēlein to beguile

1. : the act of uttering false charges or misrepresentations maliciously calculated to damage another's reputation

a circle of false friends spending their time in calumnies

2. : a false charge or misrepresentation intended to blacken one's reputation : slander

this publication was felt to be a calumny on the innocence of the nursery — Ernest Jones

there are always such calumnies about rebels — H.F.West

Synonyms: see detraction

Webster's New International English Dictionary.      Новый международный словарь английского языка Webster.