English edit

Etymology edit

From Latin calumniātus, perfect active participle of calumnior (I accuse falsely).

Pronunciation edit

  • IPA(key): /kəˈlʌmni.eɪt/
  • (file)

Verb edit

calumniate (third-person singular simple present calumniates, present participle calumniating, simple past and past participle calumniated)

  1. (transitive) To make hurtful untrue comments about.
    • a. 1555, John Hooper, A Brief Treatise respecting Judge Hales:
      Hatred unto the truth did always falsely report and calumniate all godly men's doings.
    • 1831, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XIX, in Romance and Reality. [], volume I, London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley, [], →OCLC, page 229:
      I missed her when she was not on the stage, in spite of the absorbing interest of that most calumniated and ill-used person, the Jew. (Speaking of Fanny Kemble as Portia)
    • 1905, Robert Louis Stevenson, “chapter 1”, in Travels with a Donkey in the Cevennes:
      There are adherents of each of the four French parties—Legitimists, Orleanists, Imperialists, and Republicans—in this little mountain-town; and they all hate, loathe, decry, and calumniate each other.
  2. (transitive) To levy a false charge against, especially of a vague offense, with the intent to damage someone's reputation or standing.

Synonyms edit

Related terms edit

Translations edit

Latin edit

Participle edit

calumniāte

  1. vocative masculine singular of calumniātus

Spanish edit

Verb edit

calumniate

  1. second-person singular voseo imperative of calumniar combined with te