Standard Lemma guide

libelous

adj · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈlaɪ.bəl.əs/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: L AY1 B AH0 L AH0 S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Defamatory, libeling, referring to something that causes harm to someone's reputation especially with malice or disregard.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US

Examples

  • The accusation was libelous, full of falsehoods, spite and malice.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Meeting the legal standards for libel.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: US

Examples

  • The court found the statement was not libelous because it was true.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adjective satellite

Meaning 3

(used of statements) harmful and often untrue; tending to discredit or malign

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: calumniatory, calumnious, defamatory, denigrative, denigrating, denigratory, libellous, slanderous

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English libel Proto-Indo-European *h3ed- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *h3édosder.? Proto-Italic *-ŏ̄dsos? Old Latin -ōssus Latin -ōsus Old French -usbor. Middle English -ous English -ous English libelous From libel + -ous.

Across languages

Translations

16 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: клеветнически (klevetničeski) — defamatory, libeling
  • Dutch: lasterlijk — defamatory, libeling
  • Finnish: loukkaava — defamatory, libeling
  • French: diffamatoire — defamatory, libeling
  • French: calomnieux — defamatory, libeling
  • German: verleumderisch — defamatory, libeling
  • Italian: diffamatorio — defamatory, libeling
  • Polish: oszczerczy — defamatory, libeling
  • Russian: клеветни́ческий (klevetníčeskij) — defamatory, libeling
  • Spanish: difamatorio — defamatory, libeling
  • Spanish: calumnioso — defamatory, libeling
  • Finnish: herjaava — meeting the legal standards for libel
  • Finnish: kunniaa loukkaava — meeting the legal standards for libel
  • French: diffamatoire — meeting the legal standards for libel
  • German: verleumderisch — meeting the legal standards for libel
  • Russian: клеветни́ческий (klevetníčeskij) — meeting the legal standards for libel