calumny

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: cal=um=ny

CIDE DICTIONARY

calumny, n. [L. calumnia, fr. calvi to devise tricks, deceive; cf. F. calomnie. Cf. Challenge, n.].

 False accusation of a crime or offense, maliciously made or reported, to the injury of another; malicious misrepresentation; slander; detraction.  Motley.  [1913 Webster]
"Be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shalt not escape calumny."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

calumny, n. & v.
--n. (pl. -ies)
1 slander; malicious representation.
2 an instance of this.
--v.tr. (-ies, -ied) slander.

Derivative

calumnious adj.

Etymology

L calumnia

THESAURUS

calumny

abuse, animadversion, backbiting, backstabbing, belittlement, bitchiness, calumniation, cattiness, contumely, defamation, depreciation, disparagement, invective, libel, obloquy, opprobrium, reflection, revilement, scandal, scurrility, slander, stricture, tale, traducement, vilification, vituperation

ROGET THESAURUS

calumny

Detraction

N detraction, disparagement, depreciation, vilification, obloquy, scurrility, scandal, defamation, aspersion, traducement, slander, calumny, obtrectation, evil-speaking, backbiting, scandalum magnatum, personality, libel, lampoon, skit, pasquinade, chronique scandaleuse, roorback, sarcasm, cynicism, criticism (disapprobation), invective, envenomed tongue, spretae injuria formae, personality, libel, lampoon, skit, pasquinade, chronique scandaleuse, roorback, detractor, detracting, defamatory, detractory, derogatory, deprecatory, catty, disparaging, libelous, scurrile, scurrilous, abusive, foul- spoken, foul-tongued, foul-mouthed, slanderous, calumnious, calumniatory, sarcastic, sardonic, sarcastic, satirical, cynical, critical, damn with faint praise, assent with civil leer, and without sneering, teach the rest to sneer, another lie nailed to the counter, cut men's throats with whisperings, foul whisperings are abroad, soft-buzzing slander, virtue itself 'scapes not calumnious strokes.