calumny
pronunciation
How to pronounce calumny in British English:
UK [ˈkæləmni]
How to pronounce calumny in American English:
US [ˈkæləmni]
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- Noun:
- a malicious attack
- an abusive attack on a person's character or good name
Word Origin
- calumny
- calumny: see challenge
- calumny (n.)
- "False & malicious misrepresentation of the words or actions of others, calculated to injure their reputation" [Fowler], mid-15c., from Middle French calomnie (15c.), from Latin calumnia "trickery, subterfuge, misrepresentation, malicious charge," from calvi "to trick, deceive," from PIE root *kel- (6) "to deceive, confuse" (cognates: Greek kelein "to bewitch, seduce, beguile," Gothic holon "to deceive," Old Norse hol "praise, flattery," Old English hol "slander," holian "to slander").
Example
- 1. The lord chancellor became the target for further calumny .
- 2. Murder may be done by ~ means , by plausible and profitable war , by calumny , as well as by dose or dagger .
- 3. Be thou as chaste as ice , as pure as snow , thou shalt not escape calumny .
- 4. Means that after a successful career and then also the rise of calumny .
- 5. Simultaneously , an important factor must to be considered is how to prevent the malice calumny of some illegal members .