calumny

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   Falsifications or misrepresentations intended to disparage or discredit another.

   Accusations of abuse were pure extortive calumny in a malicious bid to make money.

Simplified etymology

Calumny entered English in the late Middle English period from Latin calumnia, “false accusation.” It came to mean a false statement that damages someone’s reputation.

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 in...

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