​SLANDER, a false tale or report, defamation. The word is a doublet of "scandal" and comes through the O. Fr. esclandre, which, through the earlier forms scandele, escandele, escandre, is derived from Lat. scandalum (see further Scandal). In law, slander is the malicious defamation of a person in his reputation, profession or business, by words (see Libel and Slander).