slander
/ˈslændɚ/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.34 in modern English
8
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A false or unsupported, malicious statement (spoken, not written), especially one which is injurious to a person's reputation; the making of such a statement.
Countable; Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "Tuc[ca]. […] Can thy Author doe it impudently enough? Hiſt[rio]. O, I warrant you, Captaine: and ſpitefully inough too; he ha's one of the moſt ouerflowing villanous wits, in Rome. He will ſlander any man that breathes; If he diſguſt him. Tucca. I'le know the poor, egregious, nitty Raſcall; and he haue ſuch commendable Qualities, I'le cheriſh him: […]"
Etymology
From Middle English slaundre, sclaundre, from Old French esclandre, from Ecclesiastical Latin scandalum (“stumbling block, temptation”), from Ancient Greek σκάνδαλον (skándalon, “scandal”). Doublet of scandal.
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈslændɚ/
- British English: /ˈslɑːndə/