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Calumny
Definitions
- 1 A false accusation or charge brought to tarnish another's reputation or standing. countable
"He [Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk] mentioned to her [Elizabeth I of England] the rumour, which was ſpread of his marriage with the Scotch Queen [Mary, Queen of Scots]; he complained of it as a groundleſs calumny; and diſclaimed all thoughts of that kind, with many expreſſions full of contempt, both for Mary's character, and dominions."
- 2 an abusive attack on a person's character or good name wordnet
- 3 Falsifications or misrepresentations intended to disparage or discredit another. uncountable
"Accusations of abuse were pure extortive calumny in a malicious bid to make money."
- 4 a false accusation of an offense or a malicious misrepresentation of someone's words or actions wordnet
- 1 To make false accusations or levy false charges against a person with the intent to tarnish that person's reputation or standing; to calumniate. formal, transitive
"His [Dominieus Dietrich's] memory has been basely calumnied by many German historians."
Etymology
From Late Middle English calumnīe (“false accusation, slander; (law) objection raised in bad faith”), borrowed from Old French calomnie (“slander, calumny”) (modern French calomnie), or directly from its etymon Latin calumnia (“false statement, misrepresentation; false accusation, malicious charge”), perhaps also related to calvor (“to deceive”). The English word is a doublet of challenge. The verb is derived from French calomnier (“to slander”), from Late Latin calumniāre, from Latin calumpniārī, calumniārī (“to blame unjustly, misrepresent, calumniate; (law) to accuse falsely, bring false information against”), from calumnia (see above) + -or.
From Late Middle English calumnīe (“false accusation, slander; (law) objection raised in bad faith”), borrowed from Old French calomnie (“slander, calumny”) (modern French calomnie), or directly from its etymon Latin calumnia (“false statement, misrepresentation; false accusation, malicious charge”), perhaps also related to calvor (“to deceive”). The English word is a doublet of challenge. The verb is derived from French calomnier (“to slander”), from Late Latin calumniāre, from Latin calumpniārī, calumniārī (“to blame unjustly, misrepresent, calumniate; (law) to accuse falsely, bring false information against”), from calumnia (see above) + -or.
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