Slander Definition

slăndər

slandered, slandering, slanders

noun

slanders

The utterance in the presence of another person of a false statement or statements, damaging to a third person's character or reputation: usually distinguished from libel, which is written.

Webster's New World

Such a spoken statement.

Webster's New World

A false and malicious statement or report about someone.

American Heritage

Falsely spoken words that tend to damage another person’s reputation; defamation. The truth of such words is an absolute defense against slander. Unlike libel, unless the slander is defamatory per se, damages caused by slander must be proven by the plaintiff. See also libel.

Webster's New World Law

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

verb

slandered, slandering, slanders

To utter a slander about.

Webster's New World

To utter or spread slander.

American Heritage

Synonyms:

Antonyms:

Other Word Forms of Slander

Noun

Singular:

slander

Plural:

slanders

Origin of Slander

Middle English slaundre from Old French esclandre alteration of escandle from Latin scandalum cause of offense, stumbling block scandal

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
13th century. From Old French esclandre, from Ecclesiastical Latin scandalum (“stumbling block, temptation"), from Ancient Greek σκάνδαλον (skandalon, “scandal").

From Wiktionary