calumny

cal.um.ny n, pl -nies [MF & L; MF calomnie, fr. L calumnia, fr. calvi to deceive; perh. akin to OE holian to slander, Gk kelein to beguile] (15c) 1: a misrepresentation intended to blacken another's reputation 2: the act of uttering false charges or misrepresentations maliciously calculated to damage another's reputation -- ca.lum.ni.ous adj -- ca.lum.ni.ous.ly adv