To defame someone is to damage their good name by saying or spreading false and harmful things about them.
It comes from Old French “defamer,” from Late Latin “defamare,” from “de-” (down) and “fama” (reputation, report). The core idea is dragging someone’s public image downward.
To defame is to attack someone’s social identity instead of their body. In a world where reputation can spread worldwide in seconds, defamation has more reach—and more lasting impact—than ever before.
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