Etymologically
Log in

diffamo

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 25 October 2026 at 01:03. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [dɪfˈfaː.moː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [difˈfaː.mo][1]

Forms

diffāmō (present infinitive diffāmāre, perfect active diffāmāvī, supine diffāmātum); first conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin dis- + fāma (“report, rumour”), with the verbal ending of the first conjugation.[2][3] The TLL compares īnfāmō (“to bring into disrepute”);[3] Etymonline takes ⟨dis-⟩ here as suggesting ruin.[4] fāma goes back to Proto-Italic *fāmā and Proto-Indo-European *bʰéh₂meh₂.[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in Ovid's Metamorphoses, where an adultery is spread abroad and reported to a parent.[2][5]

Semantic evolution

In Classical Latin it meant both to spread news abroad and to defame or slander;[2][5] Tacitus has both senses, and Lewis & Short call it rare and not earlier than Augustus.[2][5] The Vulgate uses it of giving a girl an evil name.[5]

In Medieval Latin it could be neutral or even favourable, “to make widely known, proclaim”, and “to celebrate, praise”;[6][7][8] it also meant to compromise, slander, accuse or disgrace, and in law to challenge a witness.[6][8] Through Medieval Latin ⟨defamare⟩ and Old French it gave English defame.[4]

Timeline

  • 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid uses it for spreading a story abroad.[2][9]
  • 98–115 AD – Tacitus uses it for defaming people in scurrilous writings.[2][9]
  • 390–406 AD – The Vulgate uses it of giving someone an evil name.[5][9]
  • first third of the 8th century AD – Bede uses it of miracles made widely known.[8][9]
  • c. 1300 – English defame, from Old French, goes back to it through Medieval Latin.[4]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To spread the news of, publish abroad.[2][5]
  2. To defame, slander.[2][5]
  3. (Medieval Latin) To proclaim; to celebrate, praise.[6][7]
  4. (Medieval Latin) To compromise; to accuse; to disgrace.[6][8]
  5. (Medieval Latin, law) To challenge a witness.[6]

Word family

  • diffamatio
  • diffāmia
  • fāma
  • English defame

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b c d e Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  7. ^ a b Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  8. ^ a b c d Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
  9. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de