noun / verb
libel
LY-buhl/ˈlaɪbl/
A false published statement that damages someone's reputation, or making such a statement.
The newspaper faces a libel lawsuit over its false accusations.
Etymology
A “little book” could be a pamphlet, petition, or written accusation. From a formal written charge, libel narrowed to a false or defamatory statement that harms someone's reputation.
In context
fun fact when it's the truth it's not defamation slander or libel if rolla wants to test me let him try to sue me in court
More examples
- The article libels the owner by falsely accusing her of fraud.
- He sued the magazine for libel after it printed the false story.
- The pamphlet contains several libels against local officials.
Forms
libel · libels · libeled · libeling
libelous adjective — Containing false published statements that damage reputations.
Similar words
- defamation
- Broader term covering both spoken and published reputation-damaging falsehoods.
- slander
- Usually concerns spoken falsehoods rather than written or printed ones.