detraction
pronunciation
How to pronounce detraction in British English: UK [dɪ'trækʃən]
How to pronounce detraction in American English: US [dɪˈtrækʃən]
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- Noun:
- a petty disparagement
- the act of discrediting or detracting from someone's reputation (especially by slander)
Word Origin
- detraction (n.)
- mid-14c., from Old French detraccion "detraction, disparagement, denigration," from Latin detractionem (nominative detractio) "a drawing off," from past participle stem of detrahere "take down, pull down, disparage," from de- "down" (see de-) + trahere "to pull" (see tract (n.1)). The fem. form detractress is attested from 1716.
Example
- 1. Detraction will not suffer it .
- 2. Envy has no other quality but that of detraction from virtue .
- 3. Faced with such detraction , scientists characteristically retort that science , unlike witchcraft , works .