[f. LIBEL sb. + -IST. Cf. F. libelliste.] = LIBELLER.
1794. C. Pigott, Female Jockey Club (ed. 4), 200. In continuing to prosecute petty, insignificant cavillers, while they allow such a Gigantic Libellist … to go unmolested.
1801. Hel. M. Williams, Sk. Fr. Rep., I. v. 37. Every friend of liberty … was branded as a libellist.
1852. Fraser’s Mag., XLV. 615. The law could not give more latitude to a libellist.
1899. Academy, 28 Oct., 479/2. From Butler downwards they [satirists] are all inveterate libellists.
