blood libel: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, historical, academic, journalistic
Quick answer
What does “blood libel” mean?
The false and antisemitic accusation that Jews murder non-Jews (especially Christian children) to use their blood in religious rituals.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The false and antisemitic accusation that Jews murder non-Jews (especially Christian children) to use their blood in religious rituals.
Any false and sensational accusation of ritual murder or blood sacrifice used to incite hatred against a group; more broadly, a powerful and damaging defamatory accusation that is completely unfounded and designed to vilify.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Spelling is consistent (libel). The concept is part of European history, so recognition may be slightly higher in UK academic/historical contexts, but the term is equally known in serious US discourse.
Connotations
Universally associated with antisemitism, historical persecution, and the most dangerous forms of defamation. Carries immense gravity and historical weight in both varieties.
Frequency
Very low frequency in everyday language. Appears almost exclusively in serious historical, political, legal, or human rights discussions.
Grammar
How to Use “blood libel” in a Sentence
to levy a blood libel againstto propagate the blood libelaccused of blood libelthe blood libel of...a blood libel that... (clause)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “blood libel” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The pamphlet sought to blood-libel the Jewish community, reviving ancient hatreds.
- Politicians should not blood-libel their opponents with such dangerous tropes.
American English
- The conspiracy theory effectively blood-libels an entire religious minority.
- He was accused of blood-libeling his critics by suggesting they were part of a murderous cult.
adverb
British English
- Not applicable. No standard adverbial form.
American English
- Not applicable. No standard adverbial form.
adjective
British English
- The blood-libel accusation was immediately condemned by community leaders.
- He dismissed the claim as a blood-libel trope.
American English
- The article was full of blood-libel imagery designed to incite fear.
- They are fighting against the spread of blood-libel propaganda online.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not applicable. Would be highly unusual and inappropriate in business contexts.
Academic
Used in historical, theological, political science, and sociology papers to analyse antisemitic tropes, propaganda, and group defamation.
Everyday
Extremely rare. If used, it would be in a very serious conversation about politics, history, or prejudice.
Technical
Used as a specific term in genocide studies, human rights law (re: incitement to hatred), and historical scholarship on antisemitism.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “blood libel”
- Using it as a general synonym for any false accusation (overuse dilutes its specific historical gravity).
- Misspelling 'libel' as 'liable' or 'label'.
- Using it in an inappropriate, casual context.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily, yes. Its core meaning is the specific antisemitic slander. Its use for other groups is metaphorical, drawing a direct parallel to that history, and should be used with extreme caution due to the term's weight.
No. This dilutes its meaning and can be seen as insensitive. It refers to a specific type of defamatory conspiracy theory with a history of inciting lethal violence.
'Slander' is the broad, legal term for spoken defamation. 'Blood libel' is a specific, historically loaded type of slander involving false claims of ritual murder, often disseminated as propaganda.
Primarily a noun (e.g., 'to spread a blood libel'). Verb forms ('to blood-libel') are rare but do exist in analytical or journalistic writing, meaning 'to accuse via a blood libel'.
The false and antisemitic accusation that Jews murder non-Jews (especially Christian children) to use their blood in religious rituals.
Blood libel is usually formal, historical, academic, journalistic in register.
Blood libel: in British English it is pronounced /ˈblʌd ˌlaɪ.bəl/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈblʌd ˌlaɪ.bəl/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “a modern-day blood libel”
- “this is nothing short of a blood libel”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'Blood Libel' = a FALSE (libel) story about spilling BLOOD. It's a 'bloody lie' told against Jews historically.
Conceptual Metaphor
CALUMNY IS POISON, SLANDER IS A WEAPON. The accusation is treated as a contaminant (blood) and a formal, destructive assault (libel).
Practice
Quiz
In contemporary usage, what is the most precise and careful application of 'blood libel'?