Definition

1. Noun:
   • A person who speaks maliciously about someone who is not present: A "backbiter" is someone who attacks the character or reputation of another person by saying harmful, critical, or slanderous things about them when they are absent.

Usage

• The term is used to label a person whose habitual behavior is to gossip or spread negative information behind someone's back.
• It carries a strong negative connotation, implying cowardice, malice, and untrustworthiness.

Examples

• Noun:
  • She was known as a terrible backbiter, always whispering lies about her colleagues.
  • Trust is broken when you discover a friend is a backbiter.

Advanced Usage

• "To be accused of being a backbiter": To be charged with the act of malicious gossip.
  • He was accused of being a backbiter after his private criticisms were made public.

Variants and Related Words

• Backbite (verb): To speak maliciously about an absent person.
  • It is unkind to backbite about your neighbors.
• Backbiting (noun/adj): The act or habit of speaking maliciously about others.
  • The office was full of backbiting and gossip. (noun)
  • She was tired of the backbiting comments. (adj)

Synonyms

• Slanderer: One who makes false spoken statements damaging to a person's reputation.
• Defamer: One who attacks the good name and reputation of someone.
• Gossip: A person who habitually reveals personal or sensational facts about others (can be less malicious than "backbiter").
• Talebearer: One who spreads gossip or rumors.

Idioms and Phrases

• "Behind someone's back": This phrase describes the secretive action characteristic of a backbiter.
  • She would say terrible things about him behind his back, proving she was a backbiter.

Noun

1. one who attacks the reputation of another by slander or libel