Added 9 October 2026
calumny
/ˈkæləmni/ noun
In Latin: crīmen, crīminātiō Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about calumny at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- A false accusation or charge brought to tarnish another's reputation or standing.
-
Falsifications or misrepresentations intended to disparage or discredit another.
Accusations of abuse were pure extortive calumny in a malicious bid to make money.
verb
- To make false accusations or levy false charges against a person with the intent to tarnish that person's reputation or standing; to calumniate.
Origin
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 information against”), from calumnia (see above) + -or.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)