Where does “slanderess” come from?
slanderess (English) comes from English slander, from Old French esclandre, from Ecclesiastical Latin scandalum, from Ancient Greek σκάνδαλον, from Proto-Indo-European skand- — to jump, go up; to shine, to glow; bright.
slanderess (English): A female slanderer
Definitions
- A female slanderer
Ancestry of “slanderess”, step by step
slanderess traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English slander
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | slander | A false or unsupported, malicious statement (spoken, not written), especially one which is injurious to a person's reputation; the making of such a statement |
| 2 | Old French | esclandre | — |
| 3 | Ecclesiastical Latin | scandalum | that on which one trips, cause of offense;... |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | σκάνδαλον | trap, snare; enticement, temptation; offense,... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | skand- | to jump, go up; to shine, to glow; bright |