[syn: aspersion, calumny, slander, defamation, denigration]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Calumny \Cal"um*ny\, n.; pl. Calumnies. [L. calumnia, fr.
calvi to devise tricks, deceive; cf. F. calomnie. Cf.
Challenge, n.]
False accusation of a crime or offense, maliciously made or
reported, to the injury of another; malicious
misrepresentation; slander; detraction. "Infamous calumnies."
--Motley.
[1913 Webster]
Be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shalt
not escape calumny. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
calumny
n 1: a false accusation of an offense or a malicious
misrepresentation of someone's words or actions [syn:
defamation, calumny, calumniation, obloquy,
traducement, hatchet job]
2: an abusive attack on a person's character or good name [syn:
aspersion, calumny, slander, defamation,
denigration]
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:
26 Moby Thesaurus words for "calumny":
abuse, animadversion, backbiting, backstabbing, belittlement,
bitchiness, calumniation, cattiness, contumely, defamation,
depreciation, disparagement, invective, libel, obloquy, opprobrium,
reflection, revilement, scandal, scurrility, slander, stricture,
tale, traducement, vilification, vituperation