Defamation—also called calumny, vilification, traducement, slander (for transitory statements), and libel (for written, broadcast, or otherwise published words)—is the communication of a statement that makes a claim, expressly stated or implied to be factual, that may give an individual, business, product, group, government, or nation a negative image. This can be also any disparaging statement made by one person about another, which is communicated or published, whether true or false, depending on legal state. In Common Law it is usually a requirement that this claim be false and that the publication is communicated to someone other than the person defamed (the claimant).

Verleumdung bedeutet, dass jemand über eine Person ehrverletzende Behauptungen aufstellt, obwohl er weiß, dass sie unwahr sind.

Förtal är ett brott som innebär att sprida uppgifter om någon i syfte att utsätta honom eller henne för andras missaktning.