libel

English

Etymology

From Old French libelle, from Latin libellus (“petition”).

Wikipedia

Pronunciation

• enPR: līʹbəl, IPA: /ˈlaɪbəl/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aɪbəl

Noun

libel (plural libels)

1. A written (notably as handbill) or pictorial statement which unjustly seeks to damage someone's reputation.
2. (uncountable) The act or crime of displaying such a statement publicly.

Synonyms

• See also Wikisaurus:slander

Translations

written statement

Czech: hanopis (cs) m. Finnish: häväistyskirjoitus (fi) German: Verleumdung (de) f.

Russian: клевета́ (ru) (klevetá) f., диффама́ция (ru) (diffamácija) f.

act or crime

Czech: pomluva (cs) f. Finnish: kunnianloukkaus (fi)

German: Verleumdung (de) f. Russian: клевета́ (ru) (klevetá) f.

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.

Translations to be checked

Arabic: فرية (ar) (fírya) f. Danish: bagtalelse (da), bagvaskelse (da) Dutch: smaad (nl) French: diffamation (fr) f. Hungarian: rágalom (hu)

Italian: diffamazione (it) f. Macedonian: клевета (mk) (kléveta) f. (written or spoken); пасквил (mk) (paskvíl) m. (pictorial) Swedish: förtal (sv) Turkish: iftira (tr) (iftirā), (fig.) karalama (tr), (politics) hakaret (tr) (hakāret)

Verb

libel (third-person singular simple present libels, present participle British English libelling or American English libeling, simple past and past participle British English libelled or American English libeled)

1. (transitive) To defame someone, especially in a manner that meets the legal definition of libel.

   He libelled her when he published that.

Synonyms

• See also Wikisaurus:defame

Translations

to defame someone

Czech: pomluvit (cs) Danish: bagtale (da), bagvaske (da) Finnish: loukata kunniaa (fi) German: verleumden (de) Hungarian: rágalmaz (hu) Macedonian: клевети (mk) (kléveti) f., наклевети (mk) (nakléveti) f.

Romanian: defăima (ro) Russian: клевета́ть (ru) (klevetát') impf., оклевета́ть (ru) (oklevetát') pf. Turkish: hakaret etmek (tr) (hakāret etmek), iftira etmek (tr) (iftirā etmek), (somebody) karalamak (tr)

Derived terms

• libelant
• libelee
• libeler
• libelist
• libelous
• libelant
• blood libel

See also

• defamation
• defame
• slander

Anagrams

• I'll be

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Dutch

Etymology 1

From Latin libellus, diminutive of liber 'book'

Noun

libel ? (plural libellen, diminutive libelletje) f.

1. booklet, notably as libel

Synonyms

• schotschrift
• smaadschrift

Etymology 2

Noun

libel ? (plural libellen, diminutive libelletje) f.

1. dragonfly

Alternative forms

• libelle

Synonyms

• waterjuffer

References

• M. J. Koenen & J. Endepols, Verklarend Handwoordenboek der Nederlandse Taal (tevens Vreemde-woordentolk), Groningen, Wolters-Noordhoff, 1969 (26th edition) [Dutch dictionary in Dutch]