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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

slan·der       (slān'dər)  Pronunciation Key  n.   Law Oral communication of false statements injurious to a person's reputation. A false and malicious statement or report about someone. v.   slan·dered, slan·der·ing, slan·ders v.   tr. To utter a slander about. See Synonyms at malign. v.   intr. To utter or spread slander. [Middle English slaundre, from Old French esclandre, alteration of escandle, from Latin scandalum, cause of offense, stumbling block; see scandal.] slan'der·er n., slan'der·ous adj., slan'der·ous·ly adv.

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
slander 

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

slander
noun
1.	words falsely spoken that damage the reputation of another
2.	an abusive attack on a person's character or good name [syn: aspersion]
verb
1.	charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone; "The journalists have defamed me!" "The article in the paper sullied my reputation" [syn: defame]

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry: slan·der
Pronunciation: 'slan-d&r
Function: transitive verb
: to utter slander against —slan·der·er noun

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry: slander
Function: noun
Etymology: Anglo-French esclandre, from Old French escandle esclandre scandal, from Late Latin scandalum moral stumbling block, disgrace, from Greek skandalon, literally, snare, trap
1 : defamation of a person by unprivileged oral communication made to a third party; also : defamatory oral statements
2 : the tort of oral defamation slander> —compare DEFAMATION, FALSE LIGHT, LIBEL
NOTE: An action for slander may be brought without alleging and proving special damages if the statements in question have a plainly harmful character, as by imputing to the plaintiff criminal guilt, serious sexual misconduct, or conduct or a characteristic affecting his or her business or profession. —slan·der·ous /'slan-d&-r&s/ adjective —slan·der·ous·ly adverb —slan·der·ous·ness noun

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Slander

Slan"der\, n. [OE. sclandere, OF. esclandre, esclandle, escandre, F. esclandre, fr. L. scandalum, Gr. ??? a snare, stumbling block, offense, scandal; probably originally, the spring of a trap, and akin to Skr. skand to spring, leap. See Scan, and cf. Scandal.]

1. A false tale or report maliciously uttered, tending to injure the reputation of another; the malicious utterance of defamatory reports; the dissemination of malicious tales or suggestions to the injury of another.

Whether we speak evil of a man to his face or behind his back; the former way, indeed, seems to be the most generous, but yet is a great fault, and that which we call "reviling;" the latter is more mean and base, and that which we properly call "slander", or "Backbiting." --Tillotson.

[We] make the careful magistrate The mark of slander. --B. Jonson.

2. Disgrace; reproach; dishonor; opprobrium.

Thou slander of thy mother's heavy womb. --Shak.

3. (Law) Formerly, defamation generally, whether oral or written; in modern usage, defamation by words spoken; utterance of false, malicious, and defamatory words, tending to the damage and derogation of another; calumny. See the Note under Defamation. --Burril.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Slander

Slan"der\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Slandered; p. pr. & vb. n. Slandering.]

1. To defame; to injure by maliciously uttering a false report; to tarnish or impair the reputation of by false tales maliciously told or propagated; to calumniate.

O, do not slander him, for he is kind. --Shak.

2. To bring discredit or shame upon by one's acts.

Tax not so bad a voice To slander music any more than once. --Shak.

Syn: To asperse; defame; calumniate; vilify; malign; belie; scandalize; reproach. See Asperse.