DEFAMATION, noun The uttering of slanderous words with a view to injure anothers reputation; the malicious uttering of falsehood respecting another which tends to destroy or impair his good name, character or occupation; slander; calumny. To constitute defamation in law, the words must be false and spoken maliciously. Defamatory words written and published are called a libel.
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI