Where does “calumny” come from?

Calumny comes from Middle English calumnīe, from Old French calomnie, meaning false accusation or slander.

calumny (English): A false accusation or charge brought to tarnish...

Definitions

  1. A false accusation or charge brought to tarnish...

Ancestry of “calumny”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishcalumnīefalse accusation, slander; objection raised in...
2Old Frenchcalomnieslander, calumny
3LatincalumniaA cunning device, trickery, artifice, sophistry,...
4Proto-Italickalwomniā—
5Proto-Italickalwomnosdeceiving, accusing
Every word from Proto-Italic kalwomnos →Every word from Proto-Italic kalwomniā →Every word from Latin calumnia →