backbite

English

Alternative forms

• back-bite

Etymology

From Middle English bakbiten, bacbiten, equivalent to back +‎ bite. Cognate with Icelandic bakbíta (“to backbite, vilify”).

Verb

backbite (third-person singular simple present backbites, present participle backbiting, simple past backbit, past participle backbitten)

1. To make spiteful slanderous or defamatory statements about someone.
2. (informal) To attack from behind or when out of earshot.
3. To speak badly of an absent individual.

Synonyms

• See also Wikisaurus:defame

Derived terms

• backbiter
• backbiting

Translations

to make defamatory statements about another

Bulgarian: злословя (bg) French: calomnier (fr), salir (fr)

Icelandic: baknaga, rægja, rógbera Spanish: calumniar (es)

Noun

backbite (plural backbites)

1. One who engages in backbiting; a backbiter.