LIBEL
What does "LIBEL" mean?
A published false statement that damages a person's reputation.
Meanings
- A false written or published statement that harms someone's reputation; defamation in permanent form. The newspaper was sued for libel over the fabricated quote. technical
- To defame someone by publishing a false statement. He claimed the blog had libeled him by calling him a fraud. technical
Did you know?
- Libel and slander differ by medium under common law: libel is defamation in a fixed or published form (writing, print, broadcast), while slander is spoken and fleeting.
Word origin
From Latin 'libellus', 'a little book' or pamphlet, diminutive of 'liber', 'book'; the sense narrowed because defamatory pamphlets were once a common attack.
Remember it
LIBEL hides 'LIB' as in 'library' - both come from Latin 'liber', a book; libel is a damaging thing put in writing.
A little poem
A spoken lie fades on the evening air;
the written one is filed, and stays, and swears.
couplet
What it teaches
Ink remembers what air forgets; write a lie and you've signed it.
Quick facts
What does LIBEL mean?
A published false statement that damages a person's reputation.
Is LIBEL a valid word?
Yes — LIBEL is one of the answer words in Wordul, the daily word game.
How many letters is LIBEL?
LIBEL has 5 letters and 2 syllables.
Where does LIBEL come from?
From Latin 'libellus', 'a little book' or pamphlet, diminutive of 'liber', 'book'; the sense narrowed because defamatory pamphlets were once a common attack.
What can LIBEL teach us?
Ink remembers what air forgets; write a lie and you've signed it.
How players do
Be the first to solve it.