the.com/slander
a lie spoken so confidently it almost earns its own credibility before collapsing.
means The crime or act of speaking false statements that damage someone's reputation, as opposed to libel, which is the written form.
from From Old French 'esclandre,' which came from Latin 'scandalum' — a stumbling block, a trap, a cause of offense. That same Latin root, borrowed from Greek 'skandalon,' also gives us 'scandal,' so slander and scandal are siblings: one the spoken snare, the other the public uproar that follows.
- spoken only
- Slander is verbal; written defamation is libel.
- roman roots
- Romans punished public insults under their Twelve Tables.
- proof burden
- Truth is a complete defense against the charge.
- per se
- Some accusations are damaging without proving any loss.