English
libel
Libel comes from Latin libellus ‘petition’, from liber ‘book’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *lewbʰ- ‘to peel, cut off, harm’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*lewbʰ-‘to peel, cut off, harm’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*lubʰrósreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*luβros‘bark’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEliber‘book’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CElibellus‘petition’literally ‘booklet’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400libelle
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500libel‘a litigant's statement of complaint, or list of charges’
- Englishearliest quotation 1709same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*lewbʰ-‘to peel, cut off, harm’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*lubʰrósreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*luβros‘bark’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEliber‘book’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CElibellus‘petition’literally ‘booklet’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400libelle
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500libel‘a litigant's statement of complaint, or list of charges’
- Englishearliest quotation 1709same form
Earliest quotation: 1709, Alexander Pope, January and May; or, The Merchant’s Tale, from Chaucer: “But vvhat ſo pure, vvhich envious tongues vvill ſpare?…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *lew- ‘to cut off’
pollution, lied, lute, 12 more
through Proto-Indo-European *lewbʰ- ‘to peel, cut off, harm’
love, left, leave, believe, leaf, lodge, lobby, belief, loft, lob, lib, libido, luft, lief, 17 more
through Proto-Italic *luβros ‘bark’
through Latin liber ‘book’
format, library, liberal, liberty, liberate, libre, liberator, liber, 12 more
Today it means
noun A written or pictorial false statement which unjustly seeks to damage someone's reputation.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *lewbʰ- / libel