defame

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /dɪˈfeɪm/ UK /dɪˈfeɪm/ See IPA manual

verb

Meanings

1

verb
to damage the good reputation of someone with false statements

They sued the paper for trying to defame their client.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to damage the good... slander libel malign vilify smear disparage denigrate traduce

Opposites

praise laud extol commend honor

Word family

Derived forms defamerdefameddefamingdefamationdefamatory

Related forms fame famous infamous infamy

Etymology

From Old French diffamer, from Latin diffamare ('to spread abroad by ill report'), from dis- ('away') + fama ('report, rumor, fame').

diffamare Latin fama Latin *bʰeh₂- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

# defame

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** dɪˈfeɪm
**IPA (UK):** dɪˈfeɪm

## Meanings
1. to damage the good reputation of someone with false statements

## Examples
- They sued the paper for trying to defame their client.

## Synonyms
- slander
- libel
- malign
- vilify
- smear
- disparage
- denigrate
- traduce

## Antonyms
- praise
- laud
- extol
- commend
- honor

## Derived Forms
- defamer
- defamed
- defaming
- defamation
- defamatory

## Related Forms
- fame
- famous
- infamous
- infamy

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: diffamare
- Root: fama
- Root: *bʰeh₂-

## Etymology
From Old French diffamer, from Latin diffamare ('to spread abroad by ill report'), from dis- ('away') + fama ('report, rumor, fame').

## AI Etymology
Defame is from Old French diffamer, from Latin diffamare ('to spread abroad by ill report'), from dis- ('away') + fama ('report, rumor, fame'). In present-day use, it means to damage the good reputation of someone with false statements. Derived formations include defamer, defamed, defaming, defamation, and defamatory. Related vocabulary includes fame, famous, infamous, and infamy.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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