Besmirch
/bɪˈsmɜːrtʃ/noun
To stain or tarnish something physically or morally.
Did you know?Besmirch appears in English in the 16th century from the prefix be- plus smirch, a word for staining or blackening, so the insult literally began as a mark on the surface before it became a mark on your reputation.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*smer-
“to smear, blacken, or soil”
Old English
OE
smyrian
“to smear or anoint with grease or ointment”
Middle English
ME
smirchen
“to stain, soil, or blacken”
16th Century
English
besmirchen
“to smear or stain thoroughly”
Modern English
English
besmirch
“to stain or damage the reputation of something or someone”