Of words, reports, language, etc.: Of the nature of, characterized by, or containing slander or calumny; calumnious, defamatory.

= slanderous, adj.

Wilfully hurtful or offensive in language; contumelious, insulting; calumnious. (Now only of words or speech, and passing into sense 3.)

Of utterances, etc.; after Latin famosus: Libellous, slanderous. Obsolete.

Inflicting disgrace, disgracing, degrading, opprobrious, contumelious. Of words. Obsolete.

Of words and writing: Defamatory, libellous. Of persons: Addicted to or loving scandal.

Containing or constituting a libel, of the nature of a libel: also, engaged upon libels.

Of speech or writing: of the nature of or characterized by defamation; defamatory; libellous or slanderous.