ASPERSION

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does aspersion mean? 

• ASPERSION (noun)
  The noun ASPERSION has 3 senses:

1. a disparaging remark

2. an abusive attack on a person's character or good name

3. the act of sprinkling water in baptism (rare)

  Familiarity information: ASPERSION used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ASPERSION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A disparaging remark

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

aspersion; slur

Context example:

it is difficult for a woman to understand a man's sensitivity to any slur on his virility

Hypernyms ("aspersion" is a kind of...):

depreciation; derogation; disparagement (a communication that belittles somebody or something)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "aspersion"):

ethnic slur (a slur on someone's race or language)

Derivation:

asperse (charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone)

Sense 2

Meaning:

An abusive attack on a person's character or good name

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

aspersion; calumny; defamation; denigration; slander

Hypernyms ("aspersion" is a kind of...):

attack (strong criticism)

Derivation:

asperse (charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone)

Sense 3

Meaning:

The act of sprinkling water in baptism (rare)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

aspersion; sprinkling

Hypernyms ("aspersion" is a kind of...):

baptism (a Christian sacrament signifying spiritual cleansing and rebirth)

 Context examples 

They vindicated him against the base aspersion.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

Peggotty seemed to take this aspersion very much to heart, I thought.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

I have exposed one whom I hold in my heart, to trials and aspersions—I call them aspersions, even to have been conceived in anybody's inmost mind—of which she never, but for me, could have been the object.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)