defamation
UK: ˌdefəˈmeɪʃən | US: ˌdefəˈmeɪʃən
n. the act of damaging someone's reputation by false or malicious statements
n. (Law) a false statement presented as fact that harms another's reputation
The word "defamation" traces back to Latin diffamare ("to spread harmful rumors"), combining dis- (expressing negation) and fama ("reputation, fame"). The prefix de- here intensifies the negative action against (fama), evolving into Middle English via Old French diffamacion. The morpheme fam preserves the core idea of reputation, while -ation marks it as a noun of action. This reflects the legal and social weight of reputation damage across cultures.
The celebrity sued the magazine for defamation after false accusations were published.
Spreading defamation online can lead to serious legal consequences.
The court ruled the statement was not defamation because it was proven true.
Defamation laws vary significantly between countries.
His career suffered due to relentless defamation by political opponents.