n. 1. a. The legally indefensible publication or broadcast of words or images that are degrading to a person or injurious to that person's reputation. b. An incidence of such publication or broadcast. 2. The written claims initiating a suit in an admiralty court. tr.v. li·beled, li·bel·ing, li·bels or li·belled, li·bel·ling, li·bels To publish or broadcast a libel about (a person). See Synonyms at malign. [Middle English, litigant's written complaint, from Old French, from Latin libellus, diminutive of liber, book.] libel·er, libel·ist n. |
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