also: ふげん
noun
slander; calumny; false accusation
Formal or literary term for making false and damaging statements about someone. Rare in everyday speech; more common synonyms include 中傷 (ちゅうしょう) or 誹謗 (ひぼう).
彼は誣言によって名誉を傷つけられた。
His reputation was damaged by slander.
誣言は法律で罰せられる行為だ。
Slander is an act punishable by law.
The kanji 誣 means 'to slander' or 'to accuse falsely', and 言 means 'word' or 'speech'. The compound is a formal Sino-Japanese term for slanderous speech. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.