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defame - 6 dictionary results
de⋅fame
[di-feym] 
–verb (used with object), -famed, -fam⋅ing.
| 1. | to attack the good name or reputation of, as by uttering or publishing maliciously or falsely anything injurious; slander or libel; calumniate: The newspaper editorial defamed the politician. |
| 2. | Archaic. to disgrace; bring dishonor upon. |
| 3. | Archaic. to accuse. |
Origin:
1275–1325; ME defamen (< AF defamer) < ML dēfāmāre, by-form of ML, L diffāmāre (dē- de- for dif-; cf. L dēfāmātus infamous) to spread the news of, slander, equiv. to dif- dif- + -fāmāre v. deriv. of fāma news, rumor, slander (see fame ); r. ME diffamen (< AF, OF diffamer) < ML, L, as above
1275–1325; ME defamen (< AF defamer) < ML dēfāmāre, by-form of ML, L diffāmāre (dē- de- for dif-; cf. L dēfāmātus infamous) to spread the news of, slander, equiv. to dif- dif- + -fāmāre v. deriv. of fāma news, rumor, slander (see fame ); r. ME diffamen (< AF, OF diffamer) < ML, L, as above
Related forms:
de⋅fam⋅er, noun
de⋅fam⋅ing⋅ly, adverb
Synonyms:
1. malign, disparage, discredit, vilify, derogate, revile, denigrate, backbite.
1. malign, disparage, discredit, vilify, derogate, revile, denigrate, backbite.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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|
Link To defame
| de·fame (dĭ-fām') tr.v. de·famed, de·fam·ing, de·fames
[Middle English defamen, from Old French defamer, from Medieval Latin dēfāmāre, alteration of Latin diffāmāre, to spread news of, slander : dis-, abroad, apart; see dis- + fāma, rumor, reputation; see bhā-2 in Indo-European roots.] de·fam'er n. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Defame
De*fame"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Defamed; p. pr. & vb. n. Defaming.] [OE. defamen, diffamen, from F. diffamer, or OF. perh. defamer, fr. L. diffamare (cf. defamatus infamous); dis- (in this word confused with de) + fama a report. See Fame.]1. To harm or destroy the good fame or reputation of; to disgrace; especially, to speak evil of maliciously; to dishonor by slanderous reports; to calumniate; to asperse. 2. To render infamous; to bring into disrepute. My guilt thy growing virtues did defame; My blackness blotted thy unblemish'd name. --Dryden. 3. To charge; to accuse. [R.] Rebecca is . . . defamed of sorcery practiced on the person of a noble knight. --Sir W. Scott. Syn: To asperse; slander; calumniate; vilify. See Asperse.Defame
De*fame"\, n. Dishonor. [Obs.] --Chaucer.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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defame
1303, from O.Fr. defamer, from M.L. defamare, from L. diffamare "to spread abroad by ill report," from dis- suggestive of ruination + fama "a report, rumor."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Main Entry: de·fame
Pronunciation: di-'fAm
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Forms: de·famed; de·fam·ing
Etymology: Medieval Latin defamare, alteration of Latin diffamare to spread news of, defame, from dis-, prefix marking dispersal or removal + fama reputation
: to make the subject of defamation —de·fam·er noun
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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