vilify

[pioneer]

vilify   

vil·i·fy [víllə f]
(past and past participle vil·i·fied, present participle vil·i·fy·ing, 3rd person present singular vil·i·fies)
transitive verb
malign somebody: to make malicious and abusive statements about somebody

[15th century. < late Latin vilificare "hold cheap" < Latin vilis "worthless"]

-vil·i·fi·ca·tion [vìlləfi káysh'n], noun
-vil·i·fi·er [víllə f ər], noun
Word Key: Synonyms

See malign.

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