calumny
calumny — noun
- calumnysingular
- calumniesplural
1. A false and deliberately harmful claim about a person — either the lie itself or
A false and deliberately harmful claim about a person — either the lie itself or the act of spreading it in order to ruin that person's good name.
The politician dismissed the newspaper article as a calumny designed to end her career.
countable: a calumny = a specific lie
Reema's reputation suffered greatly from the calumny spread by jealous coworkers.
uncountable: calumny = the act or practice
The lawyer told the court that calumny can cause more harm than a physical blow.
The court ruled the magazine article was a calumny against the mayor and ordered damages.
Bao refused to repeat the calumny, not wanting to take part in such cruelty.
- slander
A legal term for spoken false statements; calumny is broader and more literary, covering both spoken and written lies.
- defamation
The formal legal term covering both libel and slander; calumny is less technical and more dramatic in tone.
- smear
An informal word for a damaging accusation, common in political contexts; calumny is more formal.
- libel
Specifically a false written or published statement; calumny can be spoken or written.
- praise
Expressing approval instead of attacking someone's character.
- vindication
The clearing of someone's name from false accusations.
- tribute
An expression of respect, the opposite of a damaging lie.
文法句型
calumny (uncountable) for the general practice
a calumny (countable) for a specific lie
用法筆記
Often used in formal, legal, or literary contexts. The word can refer to the general act of spreading lies (uncountable: 'a victim of calumny') or to a particular lie (countable: 'a calumny spread by rivals'). It is stronger than a simple untruth — it implies deliberate malice.