libel
n. C / Un. a written statement that is not true and damages someone's reputation. You use this word when someone writes something mean and false about another person in a book, newspaper, or online.
n. a published false statement that is damaging to a person's reputation. Often contrasted with slander, which refers to spoken rather than written defamation.
The actor sued the newspaper for libel after they printed the false story.
The politician's legal team argued that the article constituted libel because it contained fabricated evidence of corruption.
In many jurisdictions, proving libel requires the plaintiff to demonstrate not only that the published information was false, but also that it caused tangible harm to their professional standing.
From Middle English libel, from Old French libelle, from Latin libellus (“petition”, literally “booklet”). Doublet of libelle.
Uncountable when referring to the legal concept; countable when referring to a specific instance or publication.
he was accused of slander for his blog posthe was accused of libel for his blog postLibel refers specifically to written or permanent defamation, whereas slander refers to spoken or transient statements.