Pronunciation: [kalˈʌmnɪəs] (IPA) 
The word "calumnious" is a tricky one to spell, but it's all in the pronunciation. The IPA phonetic transcription for this word is /kəˈlʌmniəs/, which breaks down the sounds in the word. The "k" sound at the beginning is followed by a schwa sound, represented by the "ə". Then comes the "l" sound followed by a short "u" sound, represented by the "ʌ". The word ends with "mnius", which can be remembered by the phrase "mini-us".
Calumnious is an adjective that refers to something that is characterized by or related to calumny. Calumny itself is a noun that describes a false statement or an accusation deliberately made to damage someone's reputation. Therefore, calumnious can be defined as having the nature of falsehood or defamation, aimed at defaming or slandering another person's character.
When applied to a person's behavior or speech, being calumnious means that they engage in spreading false and derogatory statements, oftentimes with malicious intent, in order to harm the reputation of someone else. It implies that the individual is prone to making baseless accusations or deliberately spreading untruths in order to sabotage or vilify the image and credibility of others.
Furthermore, the term calumnious can also describe statements, rumors, or claims that have the intention of damaging reputations and causing harm, even if they lack any merit or evidence to support them. It implies deceitful intent and puts forward the idea that such statements are crafted with the aim of causing harm rather than seeking the truth.
In legal contexts, a calumnious act can refer to a defamatory statement made by an individual, exposing them to potential legal consequences. Overall, the term calumnious carries a negative connotation, indicating the act of spreading falsehoods, damaging reputations, and intentionally causing harm to others through defamation.
Slanderous; injurious to character.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
The word "calumnious" is derived from the Latin word "calumniosus", which itself comes from the noun "calumnia", meaning "false accusation" or "calumny". The Latin word "calumnia" further traces its roots to the verb "calvi" or "calvus", meaning "to deceive" or "to trick". Over time, "calumnia" developed into "calumnious" in English, maintaining its meaning of containing false accusations or slanderous content.
